2022:801 - Mellifont Abbey, Mellifont, Louth

Monitoring works were undertaken at the site of a former 1986 guide hut in Mellifont townland, within the ecclesiastical complex of the Cistercian Abbey (National Monument No. 93; RMP No. LH023-007002-; PRS ID Lhs023-001). The area is along the north face of the 14th-century church wall, to the east of the doorway in this wall (Cistercian monks religious house - LH023-007002) and is bounded from the east and north by a retaining stone boundary wall. The area of works measured c. 26m sq. and involved the removal by hand of concrete hut foundations, a concrete tassell wall, slabs and former safe encasing.

The underlying surface consisted of black garden soil to the east, and a layer of modern gravel rubble within the hut foundation trenches, which were cut into subsoil comprising orange boulder clay. A north-south trench was excavated by hand between the north church wall and the retaining north boundary wall. This trench was pre-excavated in advance of the insertion of three pad foundations to support a guarding rail/screen at this location This trench measured 2.7m in length, 0.5m in maximum width and was excavated to a depth of 0.3m at the south and 0.24m at the north. The gravel surface and topsoil extended to a depth of 0.12m below which a stony orange boulder clay was exposed. The excavated
soil was subject to metal detection, but no finds were recovered. Five fragments of animal bone identified as goat/sheep and cattle were recovered from the topsoil in this trench. The base of the trench was then lined with geotextile and backfilled. No further ground disturbance will occur.
No archaeological features or deposits were exposed or identified during the monitoring and no finds were recovered.

Unit 21 Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth. A92 DH99.