2009:812 - PASSAGE EAST, Waterford

Waterford County Council is undertaking a Part 8 development of a children’s playground at Passage East. Correspondence from DoEHLG stipulated a requirement for pre-development test excavation. The site of development is situated within the constraint zone of Passage East town. Excavation took place on 19 March 2009. The revealed soil stratigraphy presents a former beach environment sitting on more compact stone and sand layer(s), with a modern debris lens. The lens is suggestive of the possibility of natural beach generation over the lens, which is either a land-reclamation activity or simple dumping. The overlying sand could either have generated naturally or been imported to level the area. Discussion of the site with a local resident identified the area as formerly that of an open fishermen’s compound. It was ^cleaned up about fifteen years ago’ and made into an open grass-covered public space. No archaeological deposits were encountered within the test-trenches. However, due to the relative proximity of the proposed playground area to a fort (c. 55m at closest), it was recommended that development of a playground should necessitate monitoring of groundworks. No archaeology was encountered in the course of the monitoring.