County: Dublin Site name: Seatown Road, Townparks, Swords
Sites and Monuments Record No.: DU011-034001 Licence number: 19E0192
Author: Aisling Collins
Site type: Post-medieval
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 718291m, N 747007m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.459824, -6.218689
The monitoring programme identified a primary level of garden soil located across the site. It was located at between 0.7m to 1m below present ground level with a depth of at least 0.35m (Trench 6 - north east corner of the site). Finds from it included one small sherd of medieval pottery, animal bone, shell and one fragment of red brick.
The only post-medieval feature identified was part of a cobble surface in Trench 1. Presumably, this was part of a floor or yard level associated the smithy/forge building indicated on the late 1897-13 Ordnance Survey map
Dumps of stone and concrete rubble were also identified in the trenches at the eastern and western areas of the site. These rubble deposits presumably relate to site clearance and building demolition with the rubble spread across the area (and garden soils) raising up the ground level.
Excavation of the site will likely reveal the foundations/floor levels of the buildings indicated on the 19th-century Ordnance Survey maps. Cobble/paved yard areas and garden plot boundaries may also survive in the areas to the rear of these buildings.
Medieval/post-medieval garden soil deposits survive in places (above subsoil) with tentative evidence for the presence of cut features such as pits, gullys and possibly plough or cultivation furrows. There was no evidence of any medieval structures, boundary walls or burials.
The stratigraphy of the boreholes was consistent with the trial holes. From the existing carpark ground level to depths of approximately 1-1.2m, the ground was made up of modern stone infill deposits. Garden soil and natural clays were located at c. 1.2m to 1.8m with natural gravels and limestone bedrock present at c. 2-2.8m below present ground level.
It should be noted that the trial trenches, while informative, were small and concentrated around the site’s perimeter. Also, while the boreholes confirmed the site's general stratigraphy, they were messy and difficult to access archaeologically. Therefore, further archaeological test trenches should be carried out prior to construction to fully assess the archaeological nature of the site.
ACAS 45 Richmond Park, Monkstown, Co Dublin
