County: Meath Site name: Watergate Street and Johnathan Swift Street, Trim
Sites and Monuments Record No.: ME036-048034 Excavation, ME036-048005 Town Wall, ME036-048 Historic Town, Licence number: 16E0545
Author: Padraig Clancy / CDHC
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 679887m, N 756925m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.556156, -6.794304
Monitoring was undertaken in advance of development of a proposed retail unit at Watergate Street and Johnathan Swift Street, Trim, Co. Meath, in response to a condition of planning (Meath Count Council Planning Ref. TA/150598). Monitoring took place periodically from February to September 2017.
The brownfield site was formerly a swimming pool complex (with associated services including carparks and underground services), with the presence of foundations from an unfinished residential complex. The site lies within the zone of archaeological potential of the Historic Town of Trim (ME036-048) and outside of the line of the Town Wall of Trim town (ME036-048005), which is located c.15m to the south. There is one recorded monument, an excavation (ME036-048034; Licence ref.: 00E0531, Purcell), within the proposed development site which relates to test excavations previously carried out on this site in 2000. While no archaeological features were noted within the proposed development area boundary a number of medieval deposits where noted just outside the eastern boundary of the site, indicating a potential to reveal features within the proposed development area.
The site was found to be highly disturbed by previous developments. Modern overburden of 0.5-0.8m was found across the site, with up to 1-1.6m recorded at the outflow pipe as the natural subsoil sloped toward the river. These deposits lay on top of natural gravels and riverine deposits. Concrete foundations along with modern plastics and metal material were evident throughout the site. During the ground works phase the eastern portion of the development site was found to be highly contaminated, this was the only section of the site identified to be of archaeological potential in previous testing (00E0531, Purcell). The proposed works were redesigned and this eastern section of the proposed development site containing the contaminated area was sealed off and preserved in situ.
No features or artefacts of archaeological significance were uncovered within the proposed development site.
Lynwood House, Balinteer Road, Dublin 16
