2017:654 - St. Macullin's Church, Lusk, Dublin

An archaeological assessment of potential development lands was carried out at Church Road, Lusk, Co. Dublin. The area of investigation comprised of two separate sites: a 0.876 acre rectangular area immediately north of the church and a smaller, 0.236 acre triangular area immediately south of the church. Both investigation areas are relatively untouched and covered in overgrowth with notable mature hedging and bushes in the larger area to the north. This dense overgrowth was cut back to facilitate the buildings survey and geophysics. The buildings survey showed no new structures or features that were not marked on the maps. A geophysical survey of the site was carried out followed by targeted test trenching.
A total of 6 trenches were excavated across the site. The principle finds were a north-south aligned ditch which may be associated with the early medieval ecclesiastical enclosure and an undated stone track aligned towards the church buildings. The ditch was recorded under 1.72m of topsoil and garden soils. It consisted of a 2.25m wide band of grey silty clay which appeared to cut the natural boulder clay, although it was not possible to excavate an exploratory box-section due to the depth of the test trench. It is interpreted as part of the inner ecclesiastical enclosure ditch. Additional buried archaeological remains are likely to be masked by topsoil, garden soil deposits and other overburden.

Archer Heritage Planning, 8 Beat Centre, Stephenstown, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin.