2018:774 - The Buttergate, Drogheda, Louth

Over the winter months, unauthorised works were carried out by a volunteer group at the Buttergate, Drogheda, Co. Louth without consent from the minister. The Buttergate (LH024-041) is part of the medieval town defences of Drogheda and is a National Monument.

These works included the stripping of ivy from the monument, vegetation clearance around the monument, some surface excavation to provide steps along the west and south sides, modification to a 19th-century adjoining wall to provide access and internal excavations within the gate which resulted in the exposure of a part of the east foundation and an internal wall foundation along the north side. This assessment was carried out on behalf of Louth County Council on foot of recommendations from the National Monuments Service to assess the impact on the monument from the works carried out.

The assessment included an evaluation of the impact of the previously carried out works on the monument and surrounding area, a visual inspection of the monument and surrounding area, metal detection and sieving of the disturbed soil and cleaning and recording of the exposed sections and surfaces within the gate. Some limited investigation around the concrete steps constructed to the west of the gate was also carried out.

The assessment identified the full extent of the works carried out without consent. Those works included surface clearance of overgrowth from within and surrounding the monument, clearance of ivy from the gate and surrounding walls, modification of a pre-existing gap through a 19th-century wall, minor ground disturbance to create earth-cut steps and allow for the insertion of concrete block steps and excavations within the gate which exposed a number of archaeological features and disturbed stratified archaeological deposits. The exterior works involved minor impacts which are mainly visual in nature but the excavations inside the gate have clearly impacted on archaeological material and had the potential to cause further damage if the works had not been stopped.

The disturbed soils were examined and artefactual material was recovered including animal bone and medieval pottery. The exposed deposits were cleaned and the exposed section face was recorded. A number of stone wall foundations exposed within the gate were recorded and a likely stratified archaeological deposit (C2) identified.

The full impact has been determined and a number of further measures now need to be undertaken to protect the site and the exposed deposits. These measures include:

•Covering of the exposed archaeological deposit C2 and the exposed section face with terram and careful backfilling using the removed material which has been sieved and stock-piled outside the east arch
•Covering of the two trenches excavated along the eastern foundation with terram and backfilling as above
•Removal of the concrete block steps from the western slope
•Removal of the concrete platform/stile from the gap in the 19th-century wall.

Following the completion of the above, suitable steps should be taken by Louth County Council in consultation with the National Monuments Section to secure the site in an appropriate manner.

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