2023:869 - 'Melwood', Chapel Road, Delgany, Wicklow
County: Wicklow
Site name: 'Melwood', Chapel Road, Delgany
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A
Licence number: 23E0649
Author: Martin E. Byrne
Author/Organisation Address: Byrne Mullins & Associates, 7 Cnoc na Greine Square, Kilcullen, Co. Kildare
Site type: N/A
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 727857m, N 711580m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.139387, -6.088985
A programme of Archaeological Monitoring of topsoil stripping/general site preparation works was undertaken with respect to a residential development at ‘Melwood’, Chapel Road, Delgany, Co. Wicklow; the monitoring was undertaken in compliance with Condition 21 of the Grant of Planning from Wicklow County Council.
The site is located to the south of Kindlestown Castle (SMR No: WI008-017), with the northern boundary located approximately 89m outside the extent of the associated SMR Zone of Notification. There are no previously identified Recorded Monuments located within the subject development lands and no surface traces of archaeological potential were noted as a result of an examination of historic cartographic and aerial photographic material, or by subsequent surface reconnaissance surveys.
Prior to the commencement of the development, the eastern area of the subject lands contained Melwood House, which was used as a site office along with a former garden area that was in use as a car park/construction compound for a recently completed residential development to the north; this area of the site has been the subject of previous topsoil stripping and the surface was formed by compacted stone. The western half of the site had been the subject of some ground disturbance works associated with facilitating the developments to the north and southwest and extents of the existing surface appear to have been reinstated following completion of such works.
Given the extent of previous ground disturbance and the wording of Condition 21 of the grant of planning, all topsoil stripping within the western area of the site was monitored. In-situ topsoil was revealed in some areas while elsewhere there was evidence for reinstated soils.
Removal of the topsoil exposed the surface of the underlying subsoil; this had been truncated/disturbed by previous construction-related works in a number of areas, particularly at the easternmost extent of the stripping.
No subsurface features of archaeological potential or interest were uncovered during the course of the monitoring and no artefacts of archaeological or historical interest were recovered.