2026:289 - Widow's House Lane, Belturbet, Cavan

Monitoring of groundworks on the site was carried out over several phases in 2023, 2025 and 2026. The excavation of test pits, foundation trenches and service trenches was monitored. Three test pits were dug to locate the existing services on the site. The pits were dug in 2023, prior to the commencement of construction on the site. The pits were dug in the former garden area of the site, in the north-east corner, the south-east corner and beside the row of cottages. The pits averaged 0.5m to 0.6m in depth and ranged in length from 2.5m to 4m and in width from 1.5m to 3m. The topsoil was a friable, mid- to dark greyish-brown silt that was full of modern debris such as cans, modern ceramic, brick, etc. The natural ground was a compact, mid-greyish orange clay. Construction on the site commenced in 2025. This phase of monitoring involved topsoil stripping and the excavation of foundation trenches and service trenches. Topsoil stripping in the former garden area revealed the extent of made-up ground on the site. Modern debris could still be seen on the surface of the area, along with some stone-filled land drains. The foundations of the houses were dug into this mix of made-up ground along with the service trenches. No archaeological features or artefacts were found during the monitoring of groundworks on the site.