County: Louth Site name: Drogheda Courthouse, Wellington Quay, Drogheda
Sites and Monuments Record No.: LH024-041, LH024041014 Licence number: C0006 E004644 R00400
Author: Fintan Walsh
Site type: Urban medieval
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 708503m, N 775154m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.714771, -6.356230
Continuous monitoring of groundworks were undertaken in tandem with the development of the new Drogheda Courthouse at Wellington Quay, Drogheda between early 2016 and early 2017. All groundworks including pile excavation and examination/metal detection of the up-cast material; pile caps and cross-beams, crane bases, elevator shafts, retaining walls, and services were monitored. With the exception of the piling all other works (service trenches, retaining wall excavation, lift shafts) only impacted upon the post-medieval and modern horizons and did not impact upon the known medieval horizon as identified in previous testing assessments (2006:1343).
The piling arisings were all subject to inspection, spreading, and metal detection. A range of post-medieval finds (pottery, clay pipe, slag) were recovered while a small assemblage of medieval finds were recovered which includes leather off-cuts, a bone die, and medieval pottery. A range of post-medieval finds were also recovered from the elevator shaft, retaining walls and service excavations.
A subsequent excavation in advance of sub-surface water tanks impacted upon the known medieval clay horizon and excavation of the medieval and post-medieval soils here in early 2017 revealed medieval pottery, leather and some metal objects.
IAC Ltd, Unit G1, Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow
