2026:293 - Arthurstown, Mullamore and Knocklore, Louth

Archaeological testing was carried out in two phases over 4 days from 20 July 2026 and 3 days from 29 September 2026 on the site of a proposed solar farm in the townlands of Arthurstown, Mullamore and Knocklore, Ardee, Co. Louth. The proposed solar farm comprised four fields under crop. The two fields in southwest lie within Knocklore townland, the field to east/southeast in Mullaghmore townland and the field in the north in Arthurstown townland.

In total, 43 test trenches were excavated across the site, ranging in length from 15m to 80m and totalling 1,787 linear metres.

The archaeological testing revealed two areas of interest, both of which comprised the remains of ploughed out fulachtaí fia. A spread of burnt mound material was identified in the centre of T21, approximately 0.3m below the topsoil. The spread, which measured 7m (north–south) and 0.15m deep, comprised a dark black-brown sandy clay with frequent inclusions of heat-affected stone and occasional inclusions of charcoal.

In addition to this, a spread of burnt mound material was identified in the centre of the T33, approximately 0.3m below the topsoil. The spread, which measured 15m (north–south) and 0.24m deep, consisted of a dark black-brown sandy clay with frequent inclusions of heat-affected stone and occasional inclusions of charcoal.

The archaeological testing also revealed a series of linear features interpreted as agricultural furrows (T25, T35) and drainage features (T8, T28, T37). Field boundaries which were visible on the 25-inch OSI 1907 map were identified in T27, T37 and T38. The majority of these features corresponded with linear anomalies indicated on the geophysical survey and there was no evidence from the archaeological testing that any of these features were of archaeological significance.  No finds, features or deposits of archaeological interest were identified in any of the other test trenches.