Archaeological Impact Assessment Coastal Landfill site, Bray … · 2018. 10. 26. · Fi gur e 5:...
Transcript of Archaeological Impact Assessment Coastal Landfill site, Bray … · 2018. 10. 26. · Fi gur e 5:...
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Archaeological Impact Assessment Coastal Landfill site, Bray
Cork Great, Co. Dublin and Bray Commons, Co. Wicklow
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Archaeological Impact Assessment Coastal Landfill site, Bray
Cork Great, Co. Dublin and Bray Commons, Co. Wicklow
27 April 2017
Project Director Niall Brady
Beverley Studios, Church Terrace, Bray, Co. Wicklow www.adco-ie.com
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CONTENTS
Abbr evi at i ons
LI ST OF FI GURES 1
LI ST OF PLATES 1
EXECUTI VE SUMMARY 3
1. 0 I NTRODUCTI ON 5
2. 0 PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 5
3. 0 RECEI VI NG ENVI RONMENT 5
4. 0 FI ELD I NSPECTI ON 9
5. 0 TRI AL PI T LOGS 9
6. 0 I MPACTS 10
7. 0 RECOMMENDATI ONS 10
FI GURES AND PLATES
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Abbr evi at i ons
ADCO The Archaeological Diving Company Ltd AIA Archaeological Impact Assessment CD Chart Datum DCHG Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht DLRCC Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council E Easting EIS Environmental Impact Statement HS Hydrographic Surveys Ltd MHW Mean High Water N Northing NGR National Grid Reference NIAH National Inventory of Architectural Heritage NMS National Monuments Service SMR Sites and Monuments Record UAIA Underwater Archaeological Impact Assessment
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LI ST OF FI GURES
Fi gur e 1: Location map.
Fi gur e 2: Pr oj ect dr awi ng showi ng ext ent of pr oposed wor ks.
Fi gur e 3: Locat i on of cul t ur al her i t age s i t es wi t hi n t he v i c i ni t y of t he pr oposed wor ks .
Fi gur e 4: Sat el l i t e i mage of t he f or eshor e wi t h ext ent of t he anci ent f or est , based on obser vat i ons i n 1999 and 2001, and appr oxi mat e l ocat i on of pr oposed devel opment .
Fi gur e 5: Ext r act f r om pr oj ect dr awi ng showi ng sect i on-vi ew of pr oposed wor ks.
LI ST OF PLATES
Pl at e 1: Vi ew l ooki ng sout h acr oss t op of l andf i l l s i t e,
showi ng undul at i ng nat ur e of veget at e cover .
Pl at e 2: Vi ew of c l i f f f ace showi ng exposed nat ur e of
er odi ng l andf i l l deposi t .
Pl at e 3: Vi ew l ooki ng Sout h acr oss i nt er t i dal f or eshor e, showi ng band of sand and cobbl e i nshor e and cobbl e
st or m beach mar ki ng t he Low Wat er l i ne .
Pl at e 4: Vi ew l ooki ng Sout h al ong t he l i ne of t he sur vi v i ng
r ai l way wal l base.
Pl at e 5: Vi ew l ooki ng West showi ng an el evat i on per spect i ve of t he base of t he r ai l way wal l , and t he er odi ng
c l i f f f ace i n t he di st ance .
Pl at e 6: Vi ew l ooki ng at t he base of t he r ai l way wal l showi ng evi dence f or t i mber shut t er i ng on t he
wal l ’ s seawar d s i de.
Pl at e 7: View looking towards the remains of a granite-built structure that is associated with the former rail line and extends westwards to the landfill.
Pl at e 8: Detail view of built structure
Pl at e 9: View of timber bough from ancient forest lying covered in beach shingle and cobble at the Low Water Mark
Pl at e 10: View of mud/silt level exposed beneath the covering shingle and infused with organic remains of former forest elements
Pl at e 11: View of timber bough from ancient forest lying exposed in beach shingle and cobble
Pl at e 12: View from top of railway wall looking at ancient forest timber that the
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wall is built on top of.
Pl at e 13: View of ancient forest tree stump exposed in run-off channel inshore of the railway wall and close to the standing granite structure
Pl at e 14: View of ancient forest tree stump inshore of the railway wall and close to the cliff face.
Pl at e 15: Plot showing location of trial pits cut to assess the nature of the substrate.
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Execut i ve Summar y
To the south of Woodbrook Golf Club, the cliff shoreline is eroding, exposing a former
landfill site that is considered to be an historic unregulated landfill. Longterm coastal
erosion protection measures are recommended. The Archaeological Diving Company
Ltd (ADCO) was appointed by Malachy Walsh and Partners to carry out an
Archaeological Impact Assessment as part of a wider impact assessment of coastal
defence proposals at the landfill site. The archaeological work is based on a desktop
review and a walkover site inspection.
The proposal to defend the section of coastline is to use a rock or concrete unit
armoured revetment slope with a mean rock armour size of 3 tons across a length of
approximately 300m of coastline.
Historic mapping provides a useful guide to the extent of coastal retreat experienced
here.
The known archaeological record is informed by the Sites and Monuments Record
and the Historic Shipwreck Inventory, which highlight the former presence of a
Martello Tower outside the development area to the north. The route of the
nineteenth-century railway line lay to the east, while other records reveal the presence
of an ancient forest whose remains also extend across the intertidal foreshore.
Walkover inspection confirmed the presence of the former railway wall and elements
of the former woodland over which the current shoreline with its storm beach lies. The
top of the sea-cliff, in contrast, is undulating grass-covered earth, presumably burying
the former dump site.
A series of machine-excavated test-pit logs were made available for consideration.
Beneath a surface level of beach cobble and sand is a stratum of clayey silts and
clayey sands. No record of timber was identified.
The construction plan for coastal protection will be to excavate the sea-edge of the top
of the sea-cliff to create a sloped profile. The engineered slope will extend to the toe of
the cliff and this will require excavation of a section of the storm beach to below Mean
High Water (MHW) level, extending some 19m seaward. The impact of these works
on the existing environment will be direct. It will extend the area of hard standing north
of Bray Harbour. A ruined standing building that the landfill runs against must be
considered a direct impact. While the bulk of the impacts appear to avoid the principal
known extent of the ancient forest and other remnants of the former railway line, it
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remains to plot the specific details to ensure this is so. Indirect impacts, however
minimal, can also be expected over time as a consequence of the proposed works,
with a possibility being to change the erosion / deposition processes that currently
maintain the protection of the ancient woodland by ensuring it is largely buried by
beach cobble.
This report recommends a detailed archaeological survey of the existing foreshore is
carried out prior to construction commencing, where the remains of the ancient forest
and those of the former railway line are mapped and recorded.
Care should be taken to avoid impacts with the remains of the ancient forest and of
the railway. Where impacts may be unavoidable, such elements will be resolved fully
as an archaeological exercise using the protocol of ‘preservation by record’. Such
resolution works will take place in advance of construction commencing. Where such
remains will not be impacted directly by the proposed works, the historic elements will
be avoided and protected from impacts during the works, to protect them in situ.
Archaeological monitoring is required of the excavation works associated with the
engineered design along the proposed toe of the revetment, with the proviso to
resolve fully any material observed at that point.
Recommendations are subject to the approval of the Department of Culture, Heritage
and the Gaeltacht (DCHG).
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1.0 Introduction
To the south of Woodbrook Golf Club, in Cork Great, Co. Dublin and Bray Commons,
Co. Wicklow north of Bray Harbour, the cliff shoreline is eroding, exposing a former
landfill site that is considered to be an historic unregulated landfill. Longterm coastal
erosion protection measures are recommended. The Archaeological Diving Company
Ltd (ADCO) was appointed by Malachy Walsh and Partners on behalf of Dun
Laoghaire Rathdown County Council to carry out an Archaeological Impact
Assessment as part of a wider impact assessment of coastal defence proposals at the
landfill site. The archaeological work is based on a desktop review and a walkover site
inspection in January and March 2018.
The l andf i l l s i t e f or ms par t of an act i ve sea- cl i f f , cent r ed on
I TM 726675E 719580N, and i t ext ends over a c. 300m-long stretch of sea
cliff, terminating at the south end of Woodbrook Golf Club (Figure 1). An exi st i ng
ar ea of har d st andi ng t o t he sout h suppor t s t he pr esence o f an
i ndust r i al compl ex. Er odi ng sea cl i f f s cont i nue t o t he nor t h of
t he l andf i l l s i t e.
2.0 Proposed Development
The proposal to defend the section of coastline is to create an engineered sloped
profile to the existing sea-cliff and use a rock or concrete unit armoured revetment
slope with a mean armour size of 3 tons across a length of approximately 300m of
coastline. This will seal the exposed face of the landfill site and will continue north of it
to provide a tapered terminus that will merge with the base of the existing cliff (Figure
2).
3.0 Receiving Environment
Historic mapping provides a useful guide to the extent of coastal retreat experienced
here. Comparison of the Ordnance Survey maps since the First Edition series in the
1840s indicates the changing nature of the shoreline as it retreats westwards.1 A
1 The extent of coastal retreat active today is addressed in the project’s wider study, Coastal
protection measures at historic landfill, assessment report, Malachy Walsh and Partners for
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largely undeveloped shoreline is recorded in the First Edition six-inch series map,
showing a sandy/shingle coastline extending north from the estuary of the River
Dargle. Within sixty years, in the early 1900s, the High Water Mark had retreated
some 30m westwards, and the coastline was transformed with the presence of the
railway. By 2005, the sea-cliff had retreated a further 30m or so inland, and the active
railway line was also moved some 30m westwards to its present alignment.
The known archaeological record is informed by the Sites and Monuments Record
(SMR) and the Historic Shipwreck Inventory maintained by the National Monuments
Service at the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (DCHG), which
highlights the former presence of a Martello Tower outside the development area to
the north. The route of the nineteenth-century railway line lay to the east, while other
records reveal the presence of an ancient forest whose remains also extend across
the intertidal foreshore.
The SMR r ecor ds t he pr esence of a ser i es of f eat ur es c l ose t o
t he devel opment ar ea but out s i de i t , whi l e ot her s i t es t hat ar e
not r ecor ded of f i c i al l y l i e besi de t he devel opment ar ea ( Tabl e
1, Fi gur e 3) .
Ref er ence Si t e Pr oxi mi t y t o Devel opment
I mpact f r om Devel opment
DU026- 070 Mar t el l o Tower , Nr 3, s i t e of
c . 90m Nor t h
None
DU026- 124 Li near ear t hwor k c . 150m West
None
DU026- 068002 Gr aveyar d, s i t e of
600m + West None
DU026- 069 Hol y Wel l , s i t e of
600m + West None
W02305 Shi pwr eck, name unknown, r ecor ded i n oi l pai nt i ng of 1869 showi ng wr eck on Br ay St r and
Unknown None
WI 004- 002, NI AH 16301084
Mar t el l o Tower , Nr 2 and gun bat t er y
230m Sout h None
None Br ay Har bour 195m Sout h None None Rai l way r emai ns Besi de To be
det er mi ned None Anci ent f or est Besi de To be
det er mi ned
Tabl e 1: Recor ded cul t ur al her i t age asset s i n t he v i c i ni t y of
t he l andf i l l s i t e.
DLRCC, document 18132-6001-C (2017), p. 11. It is possible to gauge the level of historic retreat by examining the Ordnance Survey maps and associated Ortho images, accessible online at (http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer).
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Ar chaeol ogi cal s i t es associ at ed wi t h Cor k Abbey, i ncl udi ng a
gr aveyar d and Hol y Wel l l i e i nl and some di st ance f r om t he
devel opment ar ea and whi l e t hose l ocat i ons wi l l not be i mpact ed
by t he devel opment , t hei r pr esence hi ghl i ght s t he pot ent i al f or
wor ks on t he f or eshor e c l ose t o a f or mer eccl esi ast i cal compl ex
t o r et ai n ar chaeol ogi cal i nt er est . The same may be t r ue of t he
l i near ear t hwor k ( DU 026- 124) r ecor ded on t he l ands of t he
r i ver f l oodpl ai n i n what i s t he f or mer gol f l i nks and now par t
of t he new school and mi xed- use l ands over l ooki ng t he r i ver
channel .
However , i t i s t he s i t es c l oser t o t he devel opment ar ea t hat
hi ghl i ght t he l ocat i on’ s pot ent i al . On t he one hand, t he f or mer
pr esence of a Mar t el l o Tower ( Tower Nr 3, DU025- 069) on t he
f or eshor e some 90m nor t h of t he devel opment cal l s at t ent i on t o
t he sensi t i v i t i es sur r oundi ng t hi s st r et ch of coast l i ne dur i ng
t he Napol eoni c War per i od, when Br ay f or med t he sout her l y
sect i on of t he coast al def ence st r at egy appl i ed t o Dubl i n. A
ser i es of ar med wat ch t ower s was set up on t he Mar t el l o Tower
pl an, wher e t he i nt ent i on was t o communi cat e qui ckl y and wi t hi n
v i ew of each ot her shoul d a naval t hr eat be i dent i f i ed. Thr ee
such t ower s wer e l ocat ed i n Br ay al one, onl y one of whi ch st i l l
s t ands. Tower 1 was l ocat ed on t he seaf r ont i n Br ay but was
damaged by hi gh seas i n 1878 and was demol i shed when bui l di ng a
new sea wal l and t he Pr omenade c. 1884. Tower 2 ( WI 004- 002,
NI AH 16301084) st ands on el evat ed gr ound over l ooki ng Br ay
Har bour ; whi l e Tower 3, whi ch i s r ecor ded on t he Fi r st Edi t i on
Or dnance Sur vey map of t he 1840s and st ood j ust nor t h of t he
pr esent devel opment ar ea, col l apsed i nt o t he sea i n 1880.
I t i s no sur pr i se ei t her t hat t he pot ent i al f or shi pwr eck
exi st s i n t he wi der ar ea. Br ay Har bour l i es i mmedi at el y s out h
of t he devel opment f oot pr i nt . I t was devel oped i n 1787 when a
navi gabl e cut was made f r om t he t own t o t he sea and i t was
known as bei ng sui t abl e f or smal l cr af t . The navi gat i on aspect s
of t he har bour wer e however i mpai r ed by const r uct i on of t he
r ai l way br i dge acr oss t he head of t he har bour i n c. 1854.
Ear l i er pi er s and docks wer e r epl aced by t he t wo pr esent - day
pi er s, whi ch wer e bui l t i n 1909. A shi pwr eck event associ at ed
wi t h Br ay st r and was capt ur ed i n an oi l pai nt i ng by Edwi n Hayes
i n 1869 and has f or med t he basi s of an of f i c i al r egi st r at i on of
2 K. M. Davies, Bray. Irish Historic Towns Atlas No. 9, Royal Irish Academy, Dublin 1998, p.
11. 3 (irishmartellotowers.wordpress.com) (accessed 03/2018).
4 Davies, Bray, p. 13.
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wr eckage by t he Nat i onal Monument s Ser vi ce, W02305. I t i s not
ent i r el y c l ear wher e t he event occur r ed, but t he pi ct ur e i s
t aken l ooki ng sout h t owar ds Br ay Head and shows a Mar t el l o
Tower i n t he di st ance and per haps on el evat ed gr ound. The t ower
coul d be Tower 2; i f so, t hat woul d pl ace t he wr ecki ng event
sout h of Tower 3 and t her ef or e c l ose t he pr esent devel opment
ar ea.
I t i s however t he r ai l way t hat i s t he hi st or i cal l y - at t est ed
event most c l osel y associ at ed wi t h t he devel opment ar ea. The
r ai l way l i ne ext endi ng sout h f r om Har cour t Road was opened i n
1854, l i nki ng Br ay wi t h Dubl i n c i t y and was cent r al t o t he
success of Br ay i n becomi ng a r esor t dest i nat i on i n t he l at e
ni net eent h cent ur y. The r ai l way l i ne hugged t he coast but t he
sof t gl aci al t i l l suf f er ed t he br unt of coast al er osi on and by
1914 t he l i ne had t o be di ver t ed i nl and t o gai n mor e pr ot ect i on
and avoi d t he f at e of Tower s 1 and 3. The ear l i er r out e of t he
r ai l way l i ne can st i l l be t r aced al ong t he coast l i ne, and t he
f oot i ngs f or a wal l ed embankment ar e evi dent at Low Wat er .
Associ at ed wi t h t hi s i s a ser i es of gr ani t e- bui l t f eat ur es, t he
r emnant s of associ at ed bui l di ngs , abut ment s and st r uct ur es. The
f or mer r ai l way l i ne r uns di r ect l y i n f r ont of t he l andf i l l si t e
and an abut ment f eat ur e f al l s wi t hi n t he i mpact zone of t he
pr esent devel opment .
The development area is also directly beside the recorded remains of an ancient
forest. The ‘submerged forest of Bray’ was first noted by Robert Lloyd Praeger at the
end of the nineteenth century.6 The construction of Bray Harbour changed the
patterns of sediment transport causing a drop in beach level. As the beach level
dropped, the ancient forest of Bray emerged from the sands to the north of Bray
Harbour. Praeger noted a forest of collapsed ‘Scotch pine trees’ amid a layer of peat.
More recently, the forest has been studied by Jason Bolton, who was been able to plot
its extent based on his fieldwork in 1999 and 2001 (Figures 3–4). Only three trees
were partially visible in 1999 and were confirmed as Scots pine. Samples of the wood
were taken for dating by radiocarbon analysis and indicated a date of 6,180 (+/- 80)
years BP (Before Present, with Present determined as AD 1950). In 2001, the beach
levels of the north strand of Bray dropped by an average of one metre – and sections
of the forest were exposed again. Thirty-five trees could be seen during low tide
5 Karl Brady, Shipwreck inventory of Ireland. Louth, Meath, Dublin and Wicklow, Stationary
Office, Dublin, 2008, pp 421-2. 6 Jason Bolton, ‘Lost Forest’, Wild Ireland March-April 2003, p. 28 and following. What follows
is extracted from Bolton’s study, and I thank him for bringing it to my attention.
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periods found in two locations. The fall in beach levels also exposed a layer of peat
embedded with pine cones and other organic material.
To conclude the desktop assessment, it is clear that the landfill site is located in an
area that retains cultural heritage potential and while the wider area speaks to a
spectrum of interest rooted in the medieval period, the immediate zone next to the
landfill is focussed on the intertidal foreshore, where remains of the nineteenth-century
railway line and the much more ancient forest lie in situ. The forest itself is of
considerable interest. With the radiocarbon determinations received, it places the
timeframe of the forest well within the prehistoric period and offers the potential for
further insight to early activities in the Bray area.
4.0 Field Inspection
Walkover inspection confirmed the presence of the former railway wall and elements
of the former woodland over which the current shoreline with its storm beach lies. It
also showed elements of the forest inshore, outside the plotted extent based on 1999
and 2001 records. The top of the sea-cliff, in contrast, is undulating grass-covered
earth, presumably burying the former dump site (Plate 1). This image differs starkly
with that showing the exposed nature of the landfill that defines the eroding cliff face
(Plate 2). The foreshore itself presents a coarse sand and cobble surface that extends
seawards from the base of the cliff over a distance of approximately 15m before
encountering a cobble-strewn storm beach (Plate 3). The line of the former railway
wall is clearly visible on aerial imaging, and Google Maps in particular renders a very
detailed and sharp record (Figure 4. See also Figure 2 where its principal extent is
plotted). On the ground, the wall presents itself as a long continuous linear feature
with one and sometimes two courses of granite stonework surviving in place (Plates
4–6). Timber shuttering is evident on its seaward side, while the interior has the
remains of an inner lining of stonework that buts against the façade stones.
Associated with the wall is a series of structures, one of which runs against the landfill
site (Plates 7–8). It is ruined today but retains a series of formerly arched features and
has large blocks of collapsed mortared stonework beside it.
The ancient forest is clearly present across much of the storm beach at the Low Water
line (Plates 9–11). It is also evident below the base of the railway line (Plate 12), and
elements are seen still further inshore (Plates 13–14), which extend beyond the limits
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identified in 1999 and 2001 and plotted on Figures 3 and 4. The precise extent of the
forest needs to be plotted and considered against the proposed toe line of the
protective works being advanced for the landfill site.
5.0 Trial Pit logs
A series of machine-excavated test-pit logs were made available for consideration.7
The test pits were excavated in a line c. 15m seaward of the base of the current sea-
cliff, and to a depth of up to 0.8m (Plate 15). Beneath a surface level of beach cobble
and sand is a stratum of clayey silts and clayey sands. No record of timber was
identified.
6.0 Impacts
The construction plan for coastal protection will be to excavate the sea-edge of the top
of the sea-cliff to create a sloped profile (Figure 5). The excavated soil will be moved
to the landward side at the rear of the cliff crest. The engineered slope will extend to
the toe of the cliff and this will require excavation of a section of the storm beach to
below Mean High Water (MHW) level, extending up to 19m seaward from the base of
the current cliff edge. Geotextile and rock or concrete unit armouring will be placed on
top of the sloped profile to a height of 5m Ordnance Datum, some 3.4m above MHW.
The impact of these works on the existing environment will be direct. It will extend the
area of hard standing north of Bray Harbour. The ruined standing building that the
landfill runs against must be considered a direct impact. While the bulk of the impacts
appear to avoid the principal recorded extent of the ancient forest and other remnants
of the former railway line, it remains to plot the specific details to ensure this is so.
Indirect impacts can also be expected over time as a consequence of the proposed
works, with a possibility being to change the erosion / deposition processes that
currently maintain the protection of the ancient woodland by ensuring it is largely
buried by beach cobble. The project design team, however, consider that such indirect
impacts will be minimal.
7.0 Recommendations
7.1 Pre-construction recommendations
7 Data made available by MWP.
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This report recommends a detailed archaeological survey of the existing foreshore is
carried out prior to construction commencing, where the remains of the ancient forest
and those of the former railway line are mapped and recorded.
Care should be taken in the design stage to avoid impacts with the remains of the
ancient forest and of the railway. Where impacts may be unavoidable, such elements
will be resolved fully as an archaeological exercise using the protocol of ‘preservation
by record’. Such resolution works will take place in advance of construction
commencing and will be done under licence from the NMS.
Where such remains will not be impacted directly by the proposed works, the historic
elements will be avoided and protected from impacts during the works, to protect them
in situ. This may require fencing or other clear measures to avoid accidental impacts.
7.2 Construction phase recommendations
Archaeological monitoring is required of the excavation works associated with the
engineered design, with the proviso to resolve fully any material observed at that
point. Such monitoring will be focused on the excavation of the toe area of the
revetment and should not be required during works on the cliff face or along the cliff
top, as both these areas are parts of the landfill site.
7.3 Management matters
DLRCC will appoint an experienced underwater / maritime archaeologist to manage
and resolve the archaeological requirement.
Archaeological interventions are licensed by the DCHG. The Licence applications take
four working weeks to be processed and must be granted before archaeology-related
site-work can commence. An excavation licence will be required for investigative work
ahead of construction, and for the monitoring element of the construction phase. Since
2017, excavation licence applications must be accompanied by a letter from the client
‘confirming that sufficient funds and other facilities are available to [the archaeologist]
to complete the archaeological excavation, post-excavation, and preliminary and final
reports (including specialist reports)’.
THE TIME SCALE for the pre-construction and construction phases will be made
available to the archaeologist, with information on where and when the various
elements and ground disturbances and dredging will take place.
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SUFFICIENT NOTICE. DLRCC will provide sufficient notice to the archaeologist/s in
advance of the pre-construction and construction works commencing. This will allow
for prompt arrival on site to undertake additional surveys and to monitor ground
disturbances. As often happens, intervals may occur during the construction phase.
In this case, it will also be necessary to inform the archaeologist/s as to when ground
disturbance works will recommence.
DISCOVERY OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL MATERIAL. In the event of archaeological
features or material being uncovered during the construction phase, any machine
work will cease in the immediate area to allow the archaeologist/s to inspect any such
material.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL MATERIAL. Once the presence of archaeologically significant
material is established, full archaeological recording of such material will be facilitated.
If it is not possible for the construction works to avoid the material, full excavation is
recommended. The extent and duration of excavation will be a matter for discussion
between DAFM and the licensing authorities.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL TEAM. It is recommended that the core of a suitable
archaeological team be on standby to deal with any such rescue excavation. This will
be complimented in the event of a full excavation.
SECURE TEMPORARY SITE OFFICES and facilities will be provided on or near
those sites where excavation is required within the site boundary
SECURE WET AND DRY STORAGE for artefacts recovered during the course of the
investigations and monitoring work should be provided on or near those sites within
the site boundary where excavation is required.
FENCING of cultural heritage assets immediately beside the works areas may be
necessary during construction to avoid any accidental and indirect impacts on these
environs.
MACHINERY TRAFFIC during construction will be restricted as to avoid any of the
selected sites and their environs.
SPOIL will not be dumped on any of the selected sites or their environs.
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POST-CONSTRUCTION PROJECT REPORT AND ARCHIVE. It is a condition of
archaeological licensing that a detailed project report is lodged with the DCHG within
12 months of completion of site works. The report will be to publication standard and
will include a full account, suitably illustrated, of all archaeological features, finds and
stratigraphy, along with a discussion and specialist reports. Artefacts recovered during
the works will meet the requirements of the National Museum of Ireland.
PLEASE NOTE: the above observations and conclusions are based on the
archaeological information and information supplied for the landfill protection
project. Should any alteration occur, further assessment may be required.
PLEASE NOTE: These recommendations are subject to the approval of the
National Monuments Service at the Department of Culture, Heritage and the
Gaeltacht.
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Desktop and walkover inspection Bray, Coastal Landfill site AIA Cork Great and Bray Commons townlands
A D C O Plates
Pl at e 1: Vi ew l ooki ng sout h acr oss t op of l andf i l l s i t e, showi ng undul at i ng nat ur e of veget at e cover .
Plate 2: Vi ew of c l i f f f ace showi ng exposed nat ur e of er odi ng l andf i l l deposi t . Taken i n Mar ch 2018 shor t l y af t er sever e East er l i es ( St or m Emma) , t he pi ct ur e r ecor ds t he act i ve nat ur e of t he er osi on, and r eveal s t he t i p- l i nes t hat nar r at e t he manner i n whi ch t he l andf i l l was f or med.
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Desktop and walkover inspection Bray, Coastal Landfill site AIA Cork Great and Bray Commons townlands
A D C O Plates
Plate 3: Vi ew l ooki ng Sout h acr oss i nt er t i dal f or eshor e, showi ng band of sand and cobbl e i nshor e and cobbl e st or m beach mar ki ng t he Low Wat er l i ne.
Plate 4: Vi ew l ooki ng Sout h al ong t he l i ne of t he sur vi v i ng r ai l way wal l base.
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Desktop and walkover inspection Bray, Coastal Landfill site AIA Cork Great and Bray Commons townlands
A D C O Plates
Plate 5: Vi ew l ooki ng West showi ng an el evat i on per spect i ve of t he base of t he r ai l way wal l , and t he er odi ng c l i f f f ace i n t he
di st ance.
Plate 6: Vi ew l ooki ng at t he base of t he r ai l way wal l showi ng
evi dence f or t i mber shut t er i ng on t he wal l ’ s seawar d s i de .
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Desktop and walkover inspection Bray, Coastal Landfill site AIA Cork Great and Bray Commons townlands
A D C O Plates
Plate 7: View looking towards the remains of a granite-built structure that is associated with the former rail line and extends westwards to the landfill.
Plate 8: Detail view of built structure.
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Desktop and walkover inspection Bray, Coastal Landfill site AIA Cork Great and Bray Commons townlands
A D C O Plates
Plate 9: View of timber bough from ancient forest lying covered in beach shingle and cobble at the Low Water Mark.
Plate 10: View of mud/silt level exposed beneath the covering shingle and infused with organic remains of former forest elements.
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Desktop and walkover inspection Bray, Coastal Landfill site AIA Cork Great and Bray Commons townlands
A D C O Plates
Plate 11: View of timber bough from ancient forest lying exposed in beach shingle and cobble.
Plate 12: View from top of railway wall looking at ancient forest timber that the wall is built on top of.
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Desktop and walkover inspection Bray, Coastal Landfill site AIA Cork Great and Bray Commons townlands
A D C O Plates
Plate 13: View of ancient forest tree stump exposed in run-off channel inshore of the railway wall and close to the standing granite structure. This element is within 20m of the cliff face.
Plate 14: View of ancient forest tree stump inshore of the railway wall and close to the cliff face.
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Desktop and walkover inspection Bray, Coastal Landfill site AIA Cork Great and Bray Commons townlands
A D C O Plates
Plate 15: Plot showing location of trial pits cut to assess the nature of the substrate. Source: MWP.