2020:024 - Marshes Upper, Dundalk, Louth

A program of archaeological testing was carried out at Inner Relief Road, Marshes Upper, Dundalk, Co. Louth. The nearest Recorded Monument, LH007-080 (souterrain), is located c. 170m to the south-east and will not be directly affected by the proposed development. The nearest protected structure listed within National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (Dundalk Institute of Technology - Reg. No. 13900744) is located 1km to the south-west. The site is located c.2.3km south-east of the edge of the zone of archaeological potential for Dundalk town (LH007-119).

Testing was carried out in advance of a proposed development (Ref. No 19/730) in part fulfillment of a request for further information issued by Louth County Council. The proposed development will consist of the construction of a Sports Stadium.

The fieldwork took place on 15 January 2020 using a 14-tonne tracked excavator. A total of 9 test trenches were excavated across the footprint of the proposed development. Each trench measured 1.8m in width. In total 744m of linear trenches were excavated. In general, the trenches revealed topsoil and sod at a depth of c.0.2m, overlying light grey clay marl with pockets of natural sand. No archaeological features or deposits were identified and no finds recovered.

Prior to the assessment a geophysical survey was conducted by Ian Russell of ACSU between 9 and 11 December 2019 under licence 19R0269. No clear signs of archaeology were identified within the survey area. Faint anomalies identified in the geophysical survey turned out to be pockets of sand within the natural marl. The site appears to have been extremely low lying and wet since earliest times and not suitable for occupation or settlement.