2013:102 - NEWRY RIVER, Louth

A non-disturbance archaeological assessment was undertaken at the location of the proposed Narrow Water Bridge Project. The bridge is designed to run from the existing roundabout on the A2 Newry-Warrenpoint Road in Co. Down (NGR: 312920E, 319158N), cross the Newry River at Narrow Water, and join a link-road onto the existing R173 road to Omeath in Co. Louth (NGR: 312382E, 319158N).

A marine geophysical survey was conducted at the site in September 2010 (Irish Hydrodata Ltd.) with the resulting data undergoing archaeological interpretation by ADCO Ltd. The geophysical survey was comprehensive and the subsequent data review identified a number of anomalies located within the proposed development footprint.

The archaeological assessment included visual inspection of the inter-tidal and sub-tidal development areas, with particular reference to a number of side-scan sonar anomalies (ss5-ss8), and a section of 19th-century training wall located on the western side of the waterway. While assessment was concentrated within the footprint of the proposed bridge structure, a sizeable buffer zone was also incorporated into the survey:

• The underwater survey extended 35m north (upstream) and 35m south (downstream) the development.
• The intertidal survey on the western side of the waterway extended 235m north (upstream) and 237m south (downstream) the development.
• The intertidal survey on the eastern side of the waterway extended 70m north (upstream) and 200m south (downstream) the development.

The assessment was undertaken (at Low Water) and included assessment of a series of twenty-nine geophysical targets that are located close to the development. In addition, a metal-detection survey was employed to identify the location and spread of any sub-surface metallic objects.

The above work provided a detailed record of riverbed/seabed topography within the survey area and successfully assessed the archaeological potential of the riverbed/seabed at the development location. No features, deposits, or structures of archaeological significance were encountered during of the survey; however, a number of features of historic interest were present. These are associated with the late 19th-century management of the waterway and include: F01 and F02, two training wall structures that define the HWM on either side of the Narrows; F03 and F04, two signal towers, built as navigation aids and designed to have the appearance of round towers, located on the western (Co. Louth) foreshore; F05, the remains (base section) of an old channel marker, located upstream of the proposed crossing point and located on the eastern (Co. Down) side of the river channel.

The assessment was carried out on 7 June 2013, under Ministerial Directive and under license from the Department of the Arts, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht.