2025:015 - Town Lots, Marino Lane, Bantry, Cork

Archaeological testing was undertaken on the footprint of two house sites in Town Lots, Bantry. The site is located to the rear (north of) and upslope of Marino Terrace and Marino Lane and it overlooked the Church of Saint Brendan the Navigator (NIAH Ref No: 20834089) and Wolfe Tone Square.

The site is currently accessed via a gate which is located at the junction of Marino Lane and Marino Terrace. A derelict semi-detached house, built in the 1930s,which was extensively damaged by fire, is located at the northern end of the site. The proposed new dwellings will be located to the south of and downslope of the derelict house. The grounds to the front (south of) of the derelict house slope to the south and are overgrown.

Two test trenches, cruciform in plan, were opened on each of the proposed house sites. Three trenches were opened on the footprint of the access roads. Trenches 1 and 2 (15m x 1.5m) were excavated on the footprint of House Site 1, Trenches 4 & 5 (22m x 1.5m) on House Site 2. The same stratigraphy was recorded in each of the seven test trenches. Sod and topsoil overlay a grey/light brown clay. There were no notable inclusions recorded in the topsoil or subsoil.

No evidence of sub-surface archaeological stratigraphy or artefacts were recorded in any of the seven test trenches that were excavated by machine on the footprint of the two house sites and new access roads.