2025:336 - Kilkenny Road, Carlow, Carlow

Site Plan Plan of Privy

Archaeological monitoring and associated metal-detection was undertaken of groundworks associated with a development on the site of the former Carlow Union Workhouse. Monitoring uncovered two lengths of a stone wall (C8 and C9) of the former workhouse. The walls consisted of sub-angular roughly hewn limestone blocks bonded with lime mortar, measuring 0.6m in width. The northern-most wall (C8) was exposed for a length of 4m. Remains of a concrete floor were uncovered on the internal side of the southernmost wall (C9) together with a poorly preserved red brick foundation. This likely functioned to support a raised wooden floor. A single clay pipe bowl was recovered from the front of the former workhouse. This was identified as a worker’s pipe and perhaps once belonged to someone employed within the grounds.

In the northeast of the development area, the sub-surface remains were uncovered of a privy (C3) once situated within the Girls’ Yard of the workhouse. The privy remains comprised a sub-surface structure, orientated east-west, measuring c. 6m in length by c. 5.15m in width, constructed of roughly cut limestone blocks, arranged in rough courses and bonded with lime mortar. It was divided into three chambers with arched openings and measured 2.5m deep with a subsoil base, allowing liquids to seep away. An internal wall divided the structure into two chambers along its length with two arched openings (c. 1m in width and 1.7m in height) at either end. The northern chamber was divided in two by an arch spanning the internal and external wall. Arches were formed of hand cut limestone voussoirs. Both sides of the southern chamber were capped with flat limestone flags set at a steep angle as were both sides of the arch dividing the northern chamber. The partial remains of a red brick vaulted ceiling was present at the north-west chamber. The privy contained two fills (C4 and C5) . The top fill (C5) consisted of stone and building rubble (c. 1.5m deep) from the demolition of the structure and workhouse in the 1970s. Beneath this was a black organic clayey silt fill (C4). Finds recovered from this basal fill included post-medieval pottery fragments and glass bottles, all broadly contemporary with the operation of the workhouse. An undecorated sherd of whiteware was suggested as being from a small jar, possibly for cosmetics. This structure was divided into three chambers with arched openings. The building is not shown on the original plans for Carlow workhouse; however, it does appear on an OS map from 1873. Therefore, the building did not form part of the original workhouse complex but was constructed later, sometime before 1873.

A partial stone flag surface (C7) was situated immediately outside the northwest of the structure and suggests the location of a doorway.

A stone-lined culvert orientated north-east/south-west led into the north-east chamber of the privy from the Girls’ Yard, constructed of roughly cut limestone blocks bonded with lime mortar and capped with large limestone flagstones. The inclusion of a stone culvert (C6) indicates the Privy also functioned for the removal of wastewater.

Development works will only affect the upper portions of the privy with the remaining lower sections being preserved in situ.