2016:006 - 22 Merchant's Quay, Newry, Down

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Down Site name: 22 Merchant's Quay, Newry

Sites and Monuments Record No.: DOW046-042 Licence number: AE16/23

Author: Eoin Halpin

Site type: Urban

Period/Dating:

ITM: E 708372m, N 826613m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.177018, -6.339957

The proposed development lies within an archaeologically sensitive area, although outside the projected line of the medieval town (DOW046-042), which lies, at its closest, some 175m to the east. St Patrick’s Church (DOW046-039) and the site of a possible medieval grave slab (DOW046-017), also lie some 575m to the east. Bagenal’s castle (DOW046-040) lies some 525m to the south-east with the site of the Cistercian Abbey a further 200m beyond.
The Defence Heritage site 639, consisting of the prepared demolition scheme of one of the bridges over the river and canal, lies some 50m to the south-east, with the scheduled site of Newry Canal Reach running parallel with the eastern boundary of the proposed development at some 20m distant. In addition, Merchant’s Quay itself is listed on the Industrial Heritage record (017210000). However, none of these sites will be affected in any way by the current proposal.
The testing revealed that the construction and demolition of the 19th-century Custom House at the northern end of the site effectively destroyed all archaeological deposits in this area. Elsewhere, small pockets of cobbles, possibly associated with the custom house yard, did survive, however the criss-crossing of services has caused considerable damage. Despite this it should be noted that the proposed method of construction will be piles, each set at 5m centres, and there is a reasonable possibility that, if further cobbling does survive in the area, it will be preserved in situ beneath the proposed new build. In the interior of the refurbishment of the existing building, the driven piles will afford no opportunity to examine the sub surface deposits.

AHC Ltd, 36 Ballywillwill Road, Castlewellan, Co Down