2021:427 - Oldtown (Nethercross By.), Dublin

Monitoring took place of groundwork associated with the landscaping of Rathbeale Archaeology Park, in Oldtown, Swords, County Dublin. It was carried out under extension to the licence 18E0397 Excavations 2018:471, Rice) which covered the insertion of a path on the western perimeter of the park. Rathbeale Archaeology Park incorporates the monuments DU011–144001 and DU011–144003, which comprise an early medieval settlement cemetery and associated field system. The complex is centred in the southern half of Oldtown and extends south across the Rathbeale Road into the townland of Mooretown. The enclosure consists of three concentric ditches: the largest incorporates a diameter of 200m, while the innermost ditch encloses a burial ground (see Baker 2004 and 2010).
‘Rathbeale Park’ was designated in the adopted 2010 Oldtown-Mooretown Local Area Plan (LAP) (O’Connor et al. 2010). It is protected by a buffer zone, which was established by the LAP in consultation with the then Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (DAHG). The buffer zone takes account of the topography and archaeological integrity of the site, and extends from Oldtown across the Rathbeale Road, to include the southern extent of the complex in Mooretown.
Archaeological monitoring was carried out over a number of months from 23 November 2020 to December 2021. The works involved importing of soil, the construction of footpaths, lighting and mounding up of areas with minimal disturbance to the ground surface. To ensure that no surface damage would occur to the existing surface bog mats were placed along the line of proposed pathways in order to allow machinery to access the site and to reduce possible rutting. These bog mats were then moved along as the work progressed. Due to the nature of the site and the wet, wintery conditions, the work was very slow and cautious. The stripping of the scraw and topsoil, and the subsequent laying of the pathway was done in roughly 25m segments. Although bog mats succeeded in reducing machine rutting, the mats themselves sunk heavily into the ground. As a result, and particularly in wetter areas of the site, a further 0.05m of topsoil was removed in order to create a more solid base. No archaeological finds, features or deposits of interest were recovered. Topsoil was being drawn in to raise up levels within the central and eastern sector of the site.
The next phase of the project is the development and erection of integrated signage across the various green spaces within the LAP lands.
The works progressed on site at a slow pace due to inclement weather and Covid-19.
The landscaping and groundworks did not reveal any soils, features or finds of archaeological potential. All groundworks associated with the park have been completed.

References
Baker, 2004. A lost ecclesiastical site in Fingal. Archaeology Ireland 18 (3), 14–7.
Baker, C. 2010. ‘Occam’s Duck’: three early medieval settlement cemeteries or ecclesiastical sites? In C. Corlett and M. Potterton (eds.), Death and Burial in Early Medieval Ireland in the Light of Recent Archaeological Excavations, 1–22. Wordwell: Bray.
O’Connor et al. 2010. Oldtown-Mooretown Local Area Plan. Fingal County Council.
Rice, K. 2019. Archaeological Monitoring Report. Oldtown, Rathbeale Archaeology Park Eastern Footpath, Rathbeal, Swords, County Dublin (18E0397). Unpublished report for Courtney Deery Heritage Consultancy.