County: Louth Site name: Tullybrook, Mell, Drogheda
Sites and Monuments Record No.: n/a Licence number: 24E0601
Author: Maeve McCormick
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 706344m, N 775722m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.720318, -6.388729
An archaeological assessment was undertaken at Slane Road, Mell, Co. Louth for Burmilla Ltd. The archaeological assessment took the form of a desktop survey and field inspection undertaken in April 2024, followed by licensed archaeological test excavation in June 2024.
The site is located in an area of enhanced archaeological potential. It is situated within the landscape of the Battle of the Boyne and close to archaeological monuments recorded in the RMP and in previous archaeological excavations. However, the importation of large volumes of soil and fill throughout the majority of the area has rendered the majority of the site unsuitable for further archaeological assessment. Although there is potential for the continued survival of archaeological deposits within the site boundary, the recent importation of soils may provide an adequate buffer between any putative archaeological remains and future development works.
Test excavation was undertaken on 7 June 2024. A total of three trenches were excavated across the site (200 linear meters). The topsoil comprised friable, light brown sandy loam. This was recorded in situ at the western Trench (Trench 1) in the greenfield area adjacent to the Mell Stream. Elsewhere (i.e. at Trenches 2‑3), imported soils were recorded above subsoil.
No sites, features, structures or objects of archaeological significance were identified in the course of the test excavations.
Archer Heritage Planning, Unit 1, Tenure Business Park, Co Louth A92 K2VF
