County: Cork Site name: Grenagh North, Grenagh
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 17E0306
Author: Miriam Carroll
Site type: Medieval
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 557921m, N 584811m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.013716, -8.613000
Planning permission was granted for the construction of a dwelling house at Grenagh North, Grenagh, Co. Cork. The grant of planning requested monitoring of topsoil removal and the excavation of a linear feature identified during previous testing of the site (Excavation Bulletin No. 2013:536 and Licence 13E0368). The linear feature was previously described as ‘measuring 2.93m wide and 0.19m in depth with no defined archaeological cut’.
The site was stripped of topsoil on 18 July 2017. Three adjacent areas within the development site were stripped of overburden to reveal the previously identified ditch feature and other possibly associated features.
The percolation area at the north side of the development site was initially stripped as it was intended to use this area to stockpile the topsoil to be removed from the remainder of the site.
A large ditch-like feature was exposed after the removal of the overburden and extends north-west/south-east through this area. It was exposed for a length of c. 19m. A small investigative section was manually excavated across the ditch at the south-east end of the percolation area. The aim of the section was to establish if the excavated dimensions were in accordance with those previously recorded during testing of the site (2.9m in width x 0.19m in depth) and to attempt to recover any artefactual material present which might suggest a date for the feature. Manual investigation soon revealed that the ditch was much more substantial in depth than previously thought. The section measuring 0.6m in width was excavated to the full depth of the ditch cut and showed it to measure 1.15m deep x 2.4m wide. The cut was V-U shaped in profile and had relatively steep stoney sides. At least five fills were identified within the excavated section, many of which were charcoal-rich or charcoal-flecked. Two sherds of pottery were recovered from one of the fills, one of which was identified as medieval in date. No post-medieval material was recovered and in the absence of further excavation, a potential medieval date for the ditch is suggested.
Topsoil removal continued over the area of the house site. The ditch feature clearly continued in a south-westerly direction through the house site and under the south-eastern baulk of the stripped area. Here it is exposed for a length of c. 25m. Further potential archaeological features were also noted herein, mainly comprising parallel linear trenches, a possible pit and an area of oxidisation with associated charcoal-rich fill at the south-east corner of the site which was also noted within the small area stripped for the garage. Possible bank material in the form of redeposited natural was noted within the house site to the east of and roughly parallel to the ditch. The backfilled remnants of two previously excavated test trenches were also noted. A measured instrument survey of the site was subsequently undertaken which shows the potential archaeological features identified in relation to the permitted house structure.
The ditch feature identified is partially located within the footprint of the permitted dwelling house. The following was undertaken with the agreement of the NMS:
1. Manually excavate sections across the ditch where the permitted house foundations extended through same.
2. Manually excavate any other identified features which may be directly impacted by a house foundation, e.g. possible pit at the south-west corner of house.
3. Preserve in situ the remainder of the ditch, linear features and other potential features identified within both the house site, garage and percolation area by the following measures:
a. A geotextile to be laid over the percolation area, garage and remainder of house footprint. A layer of stone should then be laid down on the geotextile in order to form a vertical buffer between tracking machinery and the underlying archaeology.
b. Monitoring of the excavation of the excavation of house foundations.
c. A raft foundation is proposed for the garage to preserve potential archaeological features in situ.
d. No further ground reduction within the percolation area was required therefore terram was to be laid down and the area raised with stone prior to insertion of surface pipes.
Post-excavation analysis is ongoing.
Tobar Archaeological Services, Saleen, Midleton, Co. Cork
