2023:803 - Codrum, Macroom, Cork

Licensed archaeological monitoring was undertaken with regards to the construction of 2 new dwelling homes at Codrum, Macroom, Co. Cork in October 2023.  There are no recorded monuments within the limits of the proposed development site (PDS) however, the zone of notification of a fulacht fiadh, CO070-051, located c.30m to the east of the most north-east corner of the PDS, slightly extends over this limit of the site.

Monitoring comprised of ground preparation works consisting of the excavation of several areas of the ground. All ground works were undertaken using an 8-tonne excavator armed with combination of a 1.6m wide flat grading bucket and smaller toothed bucket to break harder material.

No original topsoil or undisturbed ground was recorded during monitoring and recent compacted introduced fill material varying in depth from c.0.2m to a maximum of c.0.6m was noted. Exposed subsoil varied from light yellow to mid-orange, clayey sand with frequent natural stone inclusions.  No archaeological features or artefacts were found during monitoring.

Ultimately, archaeological monitoring in Codrum revealed that the site had been previously and entirely stripped of topsoil during the construction of the existing housing estate at the site.