2012:105 - Camden Fort Meagher, Crosshaven, Cork

Ministerial consent was granted for the installation of subsurface ducting at Camden Fort Meagher, Crosshaven, Co. Cork. The site is a National Monument, comprised primarily of a 19^th-century military fortification, on the site of a 17^th-century fort. It is also listed on the Record of Protected Structures in Cork County Development Plan (RPS ID: 01010). Work was jointly funded by Cork County Council and Rescue Camden, a local community group operating out of Crosshaven.

Monitoring took place in June 2012. The trench was, on average, 0.4m deep and 0.6m wide. It crossed the parade ground of the military fortification, and looped along a road leading down to the lower levels of the fort, towards what is now the tea rooms. The route was c. 120m long. Tarmac and grass were removed onto a 19^th-century garden layer, which was removed onto a layer of mid-brown soil over the yellow-brown stony-clay subsoil. A temporary halt to works was called at the start of July to allow public access to the fort for the duration of the summer opening times and works are expected to continue in 2013. This report details the findings of monitoring in the first phase of works (2012) only.

A number of 19^th-/20^th-century features including culverts, the footings for a weighbridge, and the cement and brick foundations of an early-mid 20^th-century wall, were uncovered. All were left in situ and the route redesigned to pass around/under features. All spoil was spread, visually examined for loose finds, and metal detected. A number of finds including bottles, 20^th-century ceramics and animal bones were identified within the garden soil layers. In addition a large number of metal remains were identified, including one bullet/ammunition case, the top of a cordite container, and fragments of architectural ironmongery. These stray finds relate to the use of the site as a military installation in the later 19th and early 20th centuries.

Blue Brick Heritage, Annmount, Friars’ Walk, Cork