County: Louth Site name: The Twenties Lane, Moneymore, Drogheda
Sites and Monuments Record No.: LH024-090 Licence number: 22E0180
Author: Donald Murphy, Archaeological Consultancy Services Unit
Site type: Post-medieval (18th-century) brick spread/kiln, brick spread and curvilinear feature of unknown date
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 708290m, N 776970m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.731128, -6.358820
Archaeological test trenching was carried out on the site at The Twenties Lane, Drogheda, Co. Louth. This was informed by a geophysical survey carried out under licence 18R0188.
The survey was successful in the identification of archaeological features within site. The most significant was a trivallate enclosure, now enclosure LH024-090. The monument is located within the north-west portion of the site and was excluded from test trenching and is located within a protective buffer zone. The remaining anomalies identified included trends interpreted as field divisions/drains (Anomalies G, P, Q, K, L) and linear features interpreted as possibly representing early field systems (Anomalies H, I, E). In addition, anomalies of potential archaeological significance (Anomaly F) interpreted as pits and spreads were noted. Test trenching was recommended to further assess the archaeological potential of the site.
A total of 27 test trenches were excavated within the site. The test trenches targeted anomalies discovered during the geophysical survey carried out under licence 18R0188. Each trench measured 1.8m in width, and in total, 1471m of linear trenches were excavated. The test trenches were excavated down to the natural subsoil. A brownish-grey sandy clay topsoil measuring 0.2-0.4m in depth was taken down to natural. The natural varied and consisted of orange-brown/grey-orange silty boulder clay, grey silty clay, yellow-grey, grey sandy marl and grey gravelly clay. Some red brick inclusions and pockets of gravel were observed within the natural and accounted for some of the geophysical anomalies.
In total, four archaeological features were identified within the excavated test trenches. These consist of a curvilinear feature (C1002) in Trench 2 (Field 2); a brick spread/kiln (C1000) in Trenches 13 and 15, corresponding with Anomalies R (Field 7); a possible extraction pit (C1004) in Trench 20 and a very thin spread of brick fragments (C1001) in the south portion of Trench 18 in Field 1.
Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co Louth
