County: Dublin Site name: Seamount, Malahide
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 19E0649
Author: Donald Murphy
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 723069m, N 745369m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.444017, -6.147420
A program of archaeological testing was carried out at Seamount, Malahide, Co. Dublin from 3 to 7 October 2019. A total of 16 test trenches were excavated across the footprint of the proposed development. Each trench measured 1.8m in width. In total 831m of linear trenches were excavated. In general, the trenches revealed topsoil and sod at a depth ranging between 0.1–0.75m, due to variations in the landscape. The natural subsoil varied greatly across the site. In Trench 1 agricultural furrows running east-west were registered and in Trench 3 and Trench 4 modern ditches (C100, C101, C102) were found and are likely to represent historic field boundaries as they correspond to boundaries seen on the historic mapping.
The site has been greatly disturbed in recent decades; it is partially overgrown and has mounds of stockpiled topsoil within it, as evident from both aerial imagery and the site inspection. As a result, some areas could not be tested due to large mounds of soil but also the presence of services. That said, it was still possible to undertake targeted test trenching within the footprint of much of the proposed development. The north-eastern adjacent part of the proposed development is, however, owned by Fingal County Council and could not be tested. Where test trenching was undertaken, the investigation exposed no archaeological features, structures or deposits.
Archaeological Consultancy Services Unit, Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co Louth
