2023:867 - Station Lodge (Harry Lowe's Cottage), Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort, Adare, Limerick

Condition 3 of the Grant of Planning with respect to an extension of the existing Station Lodge/Harry Lowe’s Cottage for use as a Chocolate Boutique at Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort required that all site preparation and ground reduction works be monitored by an archaeologist. The works involved clearance of an existing car park to the north of the Lodge and the excavation of foundations for the extension within this area; in addition, the development included the establishment of a set-down area, new services, realignment of an existing internal access road and the provision of new footpaths, together with an outdoor seating area to the west of the Lodge.

The development area is located within the existing Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort estate and approximately 600m to the west-south-west of the Adare Manor Hotel. The greater northern extent of the development is located within the RMP/SMR Zones established for Adare (SMR No: LI021-03201), with the nearest individual archaeological monument (SMR: LI021-032021; Excavation – miscellaneous) at an approximate distance of 190m to the northeast.

The various excavation works required of the development indicated that, for the most part, the area of the Lodge and its immediate environs had been the subject of previous ground reduction works which involved the introduction of fill material directly upon the surface of the underlying subsoils, over which grassed areas or tarmac surfaces were formed.

No subsurface features of archaeological interest or potential were uncovered by the works and no artefacts of archaeological or historical interest were uncovered.