County: Louth Site name: Marshes Upper
Sites and Monuments Record No.: LH007-120 Licence number: 17E0342 excavation (and 17R0053 Geophysiscs)
Author: Seán Shanahan, Shanarc Archaeology Ltd
Site type: Prehistoric / post-medieval
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 706226m, N 804680m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.980460, -6.380503
The site was in an open green area within a business park complex at Finnabair Business Park, Marshes Upper, Dundalk, Co. Louth.
Geophysical survey (under consent no. 17R0053) in advance of Test trenching, identified three anomolies. Test pits excavated at these locations only produced modern iron waste objects.
During test trenching, a number of archaeological features were identified in an area measuring approx 200m² situated in the northern end of the site where a proposed office building is to be located. Excavation of these features and the area surrounding them took place from 11-15 September, 2017.
The features identified were quite shallow suggesting that the ground level may have been reduced at some time in the past. They comprised of 6 linear features, 1 curvilinear feature, 13 post-holes, 7 stake-holes, and 1 pit. Finds recovered comprised 20 sherds of post-medieval or later pottery, 2 quartz fragments, 1 metal plough point, 1 flint fragment and 3 sherds of prehistoric pottery. The possible prehistoric pottery were recovered from a charcoal-rich fill of a pit, near the series of post- and stake-holes.
A small curvilinear feature was also excavated near these features.
Several post-medieval linear features were also identified.
Unit 39A Hebron Business Park, Hebron Rd, Kilkenny
