2017:172 - Fassaroe, Wicklow

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Wicklow Site name: Fassaroe

Sites and Monuments Record No.: WI007-060 Licence number: 17E0097

Author: Faith Bailey

Site type: No archaeology found

Period/Dating:

ITM: E 724347m, N 717243m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.191084, -6.139217

Testing was carried out at a site in Fassaroe following on from a request for further information as issued by Wicklow County Council (Planning Ref.: 16/1271).

The proposed development area is located, for the most part, within the townland of Fassaroe, although the south-west corner of the site is located within the townland of Cookstown. This section of the site in occupied by mature trees. Today the main part of the proposed development area is bordered to the east by the M11 and to the west by the Cookstown and Dargle Rivers. The R117 borders the site to the south. A mound (WI007-060) is within the south-east corner of the proposed development area, this will be preserved in situ.  

Nine test trenches were excavated across the site (546 linear metres). These revealed that the site has been subject to extensive disturbance, having previously been stripped. According to the landowner the site was used as a compound during the construction of the M11 to the immediate east. Despite the obvious archaeological potential of the area, being bordered by water courses, nothing of significance was identified during the course of the works and it is likely that any archaeological remains that were located here have since been removed. 

IAC Ltd, Unit G1, Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow