2018:806 - Bridge/Church Street, Miltonsfields, Townparks, Swords, Dublin

Monitoring and subsequent excavation took place of identified archaeological features and deposits at Bridge/Church Street, Townparks, Swords, Co. Dublin. This work was undertaken in advance of the proposed development of a Nursing Home.

Monitoring and excavation were carried out following the results of a geophysical survey and archaeological test trenching. The geophysical survey was carried out by Joanna Leigh under licence 16-R-0035. A resistance survey was conducted in all available survey areas but the interpretation was complicated by modern landscaping and disturbance. Test trenching was undertaken from 11–16 March 2016 by Faith Bailey under licence 16E0115. A total of 17 trenches were excavated, demonstrating the considerable change to which the natural topography of the proposed development area had been subject over several hundred years. This included a process of landfill and reclamation in the eastern portion of the site, which appears to have commenced in the medieval period and continued into modern times.

The monitoring and subsequent excavation focused on five areas within the proposed development site in order to target the features identified during the test trenching. It was evident that the site had been heavily disturbed by 19th- and 20th-century development of the site, including the construction of three dwellings and their associated gardens. Despite this, truncated evidence of medieval activity, in the form of a stone quarry and rubbish pits, was identified.

Area 1: This area contained the foundations of a building (C3–C4) and associated drain (C5), which were originally identified during test trenching. Excavation confirmed that the foundations were associated with a dwelling depicted on the first edition OS map dated 1843, and which was demolished before the production of the 1935–38 revisions of the OS maps. The appearance of the foundations suggest that this building was of possible late 17th–18th-century date.

Areas 2: This area contained a cobbled surface (C6) with a central gully or surface drain. This cobbling appears to be aligned with the original approach road to the bridge, the alignment of which changed between the production of the first edition 6-inch OS map (1843) and the 25-inch map (1906–09). The cobbled surface was heavily truncated and appeared to be slightly sunken. No further evidence of its surface was identified within the development area.

Area 3: This area contained a possible medieval stone quarry (C8), interpreted during the earlier test trenching as a rock-cut gully or ditch. The cut into the natural underlying geology showed visible signs of stone quarrying activity, which had been backfilled with phases of both medieval and post-medieval rubbish deposits. Finds from the fills of the quarry include 12th–15th-century pottery, post-medieval pottery and roof ridge tiles, a bone spindle whorl and animal bone.

Area 4: Similar to Area 3, this area also showed clear indications of stone-quarrying activity backfilled with both medieval and post-medieval rubbish deposits/reclamation material, including a primary deposit of animal bone and shell (C10). Recovered from the upper fill were sherds of 12th–15th-century pottery, a possible medieval copper alloy stick pin shaft, a fragment of a post-medieval spiral-turned iron nail and a single sherd of possibly post-medieval unglazed red earthenware.

Area 5: This area contained 15 truncated pits, as well as a small surface and a truncated linear feature, all of which produced 12th–15th-century pottery. The features appeared to have been truncated by the groundworks associated with the development of Ard Druim house in the late 18th to early 19th century. Three sections of stone-built foundations (C26) associated with Ard Druim were also recorded.

The proposed development site was heavily disturbed by development works in the 19th and 20th centuries, including the construction of three dwellings and their associated gardens. Despite this, truncated evidence of medieval activity, in the form of a stone quarry and medieval rubbish pits, was identified. Following the excavation of the identified archaeological features and the monitoring of the remaining ground reduction works within the site, no further archaeological features or deposits were identified.

Archaeological Consultancy Services Unit, Unit 21 Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co Louth