County: Louth Site name: Mullagharlin Road, Haynestown
Sites and Monuments Record No.: LH012-102---- Licence number: 23E0452
Author: Donald Murphy, Archaeological Consultancy Services Unit Ltd
Site type: Pits, linear ditches, and a metaled surface
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 704120m, N 802977m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.965591, -6.413179
Archaeological test trenching was carried out Mullagharlin Road, Haynestown, Co. Louth at the request of the client to assess the archaeological potential of the site following a geophysical survey carried out by Donald Murphy in May 2021 under licence number 23R0044. Testing was conducted between 31 July and 8 August 2023.
A total of 14 test trenches were excavated across the site. Each trench measured 1.8m in width, and in total, 997m of linear trenches were excavated, targeting anomalies identified during the geophysical survey. Test trenching succeeded in identifying the remains of at least 31 individual features. These were dominated by pits and linear ditches. A total of 15 pits were found (C8, C10, C13, C15, C16, C17, C19, C21, C25, C27, C28, C38, C42, C45 and C55). While some of these pits were isolated, there were areas where some irregular clustering could be found such as the north-east end of Trenches 2-3 & 12-14. Ten linear ditches were identified throughout the site (C24, C29, C30, C31, C33, C34, C36, C47 and C50/51). Half of these were orientated east-west and most likely represent linear field systems. At least four of the ditches are continuations of features identified in previous excavations in the surrounding area. Other features include two possible post-holes (C23 & C39), a spread (C40), a hearth (C4), agricultural furrows (C36) and a metaled surface (C32).
Portions of the site were unavailable for testing and some trenches were moved or realigned to compensate. This was mainly done in the southern area of the site where underground services and two spoil mounds were identified and avoided. At the far north end, a modern manhole was found which reduced the length of Trench 11. Additionally, Trenches 4-6 were split into north and south sections due to a tree-lined field boundary. The complete length of Trench 5 had evidence of modern ground disturbance. This disturbance would have removed all traces of any archaeological features.
Unit 21 Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth. A92 DH99.
