2002:0732 - GALWAY: Victoria Place, Eyre Square, Galway

Testing of a site at Victoria Place, Eyre Square, Galway, before development was carried out on 25 June 2002. The proposed development is within the archaeological constraint for Galway city, SMR 94:100. The development consisted of the demolition of an outbuilding/shed, the construction of a three-storey extension and internal alterations/ renovations.

Because of the small size of the site, 4m by 4m, two small trenches were excavated. Trench A was in the north-eastern half of the site and was oriented north-west/south-east. It was 2.9m long, 1.4–1.5m wide and 1.2–1.3m deep. Trench B was in the south-western half of the site, parallel to Trench A. It was 3m long, 1.3–1.4m wide and 1.2–1.35m deep.

The stratigraphy in both trenches was an existing concrete floor slab, 50–70mm thick, below which was a cobbled surface, 60mm thick. Below the cobbles was rubble fill, 0.7–1m thick. Below the rubble fill was firm brown clay, 0.3m thick. Within the rubble fill was a wall foundation, 0.6m deep. The wall was constructed of rubble and red brick and was visible in the south-east boundary wall. Here it was 0.4m thick. A small number of oyster shells, animal-bone fragments, red-brick fragments and a small fragment of a clay-pipe bowl were recovered from the rubble fill in both trenches.

The testing revealed natural subsoils below modern rubble fills. The wall foundation visible in both trenches was of modern construction.