2023:834 - Athlone No. 1 Gun Battery, Ranelagh, Westmeath

Archaeological monitoring of clearance works was carried out at the site of the No. 1 Gun Battery in Ranelagh townland, Athlone, County Westmeath. This phase forms part of a multi-stage conservation and archaeological investigation programme aimed at preserving and better understanding one of Ireland’s few surviving Napoleonic-era artillery fortifications.

The No. 1 Gun Battery, located on the western bank of the River Shannon in Athlone, was constructed by the British Army between 1803 and 1806 in response to the perceived threat of French invasion. As part of a wider defensive network, it was strategically positioned to counter forces advancing from the west and to provide flanking fire in coordination with adjacent batteries in the town.

The monitoring was carried out on behalf of the Athlone No. 1 Gun Battery Heritage Group, with funding provided through the Historic Structures Fund (HSF) administered by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Following the preparation of a conservation and restoration plan in 2018 (Sullivan & McLoughlin 2018), archaeological works have taken place in two principal phases. The first, in 2021, involved targeted excavation to assess the condition and extent of the dry ditch, together with a geophysical survey of the enclosure (Sullivan 2021).

The present phase focused on the removal of extensive vegetation and accumulated soil across the southern two-thirds of the site. This revealed substantial structural remains closely corresponding with an 1843 military plan of the battery, thereby confirming its original layout and function. Exposed features included two gun platforms, the basal foundations of the eastern boundary wall, a cobbled access path and entrance, a five-sided guard house, and internal perimeter pathways. Cleaning of the parapet wall exposed two earthen gun embrasures, as well as an internal drainage system, while clearance of the adjoining earthen bank revealed a third embrasure. Parallel revetment walls at the entrance appear to have functioned to retain the internal earthen slopes.

A small assemblage of stray finds was also recovered during clearance. These included a Queen Victoria military uniform button; two Irish Volunteer uniform buttons with a harp motif and the letters I and V; three musket balls; a Minie ball; and three modern Lee–Enfield rifle bullets. Later military activity is further represented by an Óglaigh na hÉireann cap badge with the “FF” emblem, and a heavily corroded tin cup marked with the Óglaigh na hÉireann symbol. Together, these artefacts illustrate the long-lived military use of the battery from the Napoleonic period through to the 19th and 20th centuries, highlighting its continuing strategic and symbolic importance.

Conservation measures included the repair and reconstruction of collapsed wall sections, the application of geotextile fabric and gravel across exposed surfaces to deter vegetation regrowth, and the reinstatement of the southern retaining wall (east-facing section of the parapet). These works have secured key features while preparing the interior for future phases of conservation.

References

• Sullivan, E. & McLoughlin, R. (2018) Conservation and Restoration Plan for No.1 Gun Battery, Ranelagh, Athlone, Co. Westmeath on behalf of Athlone No.1 Gun Battery Heritage Group.
• Sullivan, E. (2021) Excavation at No.1 Gun Battery, Ranelagh, Athlone, Co. Westmeath 21E0549 & 21R213, Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage.
  • Appendix 1 Bonsall, J. 2021. Archaeological geophysical survey of Athlone No. 1 Gun Battery, SMR WM029-010, Ranelagh, Athlone, Co. Westmeath. Detection Licence No. 21R0161. Unpublished report by Dr J. Bonsall MIAI, 10 September 2021.