UNDERWATER/INTERTIDAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF FETHARD HARBOUR, FETHARD ON SEA CO. WEXFORD ON BEHALF OF TJ O CONNOR & ASSOCIATES, CONSULTING ENGINEERS Moore Marine Job Number: M10WX01 Author: Date: November 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................... IV 1 SCOPE OF WORKS .......................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Purpose of the Project .................................................................................................................. 1 2 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PROJECT ................................................................................................ 3 2.1 Description of the Project ............................................................................................................. 3 2.2 Site Layout/Location details ......................................................................................................... 6 3 DESCRIPTION OF THE EXISTING ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................. 6 3.1 Solid Geology ................................................................................................................................ 6 3.2 Soil Type ....................................................................................................................................... 6 4 ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ...................................................................... 6 5 BASELINE DATA .............................................................................................................................. 9 5.1 Record of Monuments and Places ................................................................................................ 9 5.2 Lewis Topographical Dictionary .................................................................................................. 11 5.3 National Inventory of Architectural Heritage ............................................................................. 13 5.4 Aerial Photographs ..................................................................................................................... 14 5.5 Previous Archaeological Fieldwork in the Area .......................................................................... 15 5.6 Historic Maps .............................................................................................................................. 19 5.6.1 First Edition Ordnance Survey, 1838 .................................................................................. 19 5.6.2 Second Edition Ordnance Survey, 1893 .............................................................................. 20 5.7 The Maritime Sites and Monuments Record (MSMR), ............................................................... 20 5.8 The Ports and Harbours Archive ................................................................................................. 21 6 SITE SURVEY ................................................................................................................................. 21 6.1 Survey Aims and Methodology: .................................................................................................. 21 6.2 Site Conditions ............................................................................................................................ 23 6.3 Fethard Harbour ......................................................................................................................... 23 6.4 Site Survey .................................................................................................................................. 23 7 DISCUSSION & RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................................... 33 7.1 Discussion ................................................................................................................................... 33 7.1.1 The Development Area ....................................................................................................... 33 7.2 Assessment of Potential Impacts ................................................................................................ 33 7.3 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................. 34 7.4 Recommendations ...................................................................................................................... 34 APPENDIX 1 BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................... 35 APPENDIX 2 LEGISLATIVE BACKGROUND ...................................................................................... 36 APPENDIX 3 IMPACT ASSESSMENT & THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCE ...................................... 39 TABLE OF FIGURES Figure 1. Extract from Discovery Series Map # 76 with site location highlighted ............................... 2 Figure 2. Plan of proposed development ............................................................................................ 4 Figure 3. Profile of improvement area ................................................................................................ 4 Figure 4. Detailed development plan .................................................................................................. 5 Figure 5. Extract from RMP WX050 showing development site in red ............................................. 11 Figure 6. First Edition Ordnance Survey Map, 1838, showing development area ............................ 19 Figure 7. Second Edition Ordnance Survey, 1893 .............................................................................. 20 Figure 8. Proposed survey grid in red ................................................................................................ 22 Figure 9. Metal detection contact location map ............................................................................... 28 TABLE OF PLATES Plate 1. NIAH Image of Fethard Harbour .................................................................................................... 14 Plate 2. Aerial photograph of Ingard Point and Fethard Harbour .............................................................. 15 Plate 3. View of southern survey area from the east ................................................................................. 29 Plate 4. View of southern access ramp from the east ................................................................................ 29 Plate 5. Additional view of southern access ramp ..................................................................................... 29 Plate 6. View of eastern end of southern survey area. .............................................................................. 29 Plate 7. View of central section of southern survey area ........................................................................... 29 Plate 8. View of northern access ramp ....................................................................................................... 30 Plate 9. Metal bar on northern foreshore .................................................................................................. 30 Plate 10. Concrete filled tyres on northern foreshore ............................................................................... 30 Plate 11. Two engine blocks on northern foreshore .................................................................................. 30 Plate 12. Lobster pot on northern foreshore ............................................................................................. 30 Plate 13. Single arm anchor on mid foreshore ........................................................................................... 30 Plate 14. Additional view of single arm anchor on mid foreshore ............................................................. 31 Plate 15. Second single arm anchor on mid foreshore ............................................................................... 31 Plate 16. Vertical view of single arm anchor .............................................................................................. 31 Plate 17. Partially buried anchor chain ....................................................................................................... 31 Plate 18. Gear wheel on upper foreshore .................................................................................................. 31 Plate 19. Cluster of three single arm anchors on lower foreshore............................................................. 31 Plate 20. Single arm anchor in cluster of three .......................................................................................... 32 Plate 21. View of northern survey area ...................................................................................................... 32 Plate 22. Additional view of northern survey area ..................................................................................... 32 Plate 23. Iron weights on northern foreshore ............................................................................................ 32 TABLE OF TABLES Table 1. Location details ........................................................................................................................