2020:149 - Baltinglass East, Wicklow

A desk based assessment, test trenching and metal detection survey (Licence 20R0175) took place at the site of a tourism/holiday development comprising a visitor centre, café, 44 holiday lodges and associated site works at Main Street, Baltinglass Co. Wicklow (Planning Ref 20/518). An Archaeological lmpact Assessment, involving geophysical survey and targeted archaeological testing within the proposed development, was requested as Further Information by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in July 2020.
The proposed development is located in a 2.3ha flat greenfield site, located to the rear of Baltinglass Town Centre in the townland of Baltinglass East. The River Slaney bounds the site to the west, the town centre to the north and east and to the south a field under pasture. Baltinglass Village is a Recorded Monument, W1027-024 a historic settlement, which is subject to statutory protection in the Record of Monuments and Places, established under section 12 of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994.
A strategy of geophysical survey and targeted test trenching was completed.
No obvious archaeology was identified in the geophysical survey completed by Joanna M Leigh Surveys (Licence 20R0173), however all anomalies were investigated. Test trenching and a metal detection survey was completed on the 19th September. Eleven test trenches were excavated with a total length of 260m. All of the anomalies identified in the geophysical survey were either geological or agricultural in origin with the exception of a field boundary associated with Parkmore Demesne identified on the 1908 third edition Ordnance Survey mapping. A stray find of a possible stone axe (subject to specialist analysis) was also retrieved from the northern part of the site in an area that has been disturbed in recent years as evidenced by aerial photographs and the geophysical survey.

Unit 10 Riverside Business Centre Tinahely Wicklow