2020:162 - GIBSTOWN, Dundalk, Louth

A programme of archaeological test trenching was carried out on a site in the townland of Gibstown in Dundalk, Co. Louth in September 2020. The testing was informed by geophysical survey (19R0145), undertaken in June and September 2020 by Donald Murphy and Robert Breen of Archaeological Consultancy Services Unit Ltd (ACSU).

Testing was carried out on the site on 4 September 2020 using a 14-tonne tracked excavator. A total of nine test trenches were excavated across the relevant areas. Each trench measured 1.8m in width. In total, 389m of linear trenches were excavated, targeting anomalies identified during geophysical survey (19R0145). A metal detector was used to scan any potential archaeological soils (20R0093). In general, the trenches revealed mid-brown sandy clay topsoil (C1) measuring c. 0.25–0.43m, overlying very stony boulder clay with outcropping broken shale natural (C2). The anomalies targeted in the testing programme were found to be changes in the underlying geology. Only one feature was exposed and was represented by an agricultural drain (C3). The drain measured c. 1m in width and c. 0.2m in depth, it was exposed running north-west/south-east within Trenches 2, 3 and 8, located within the north-west part of the site. It was cut into natural, and filled by C4, a dark brown sandy clay with frequent inclusions of large angular stones.

No archaeological features or deposits were exposed or identified, and no finds were recovered. The work is now complete.