1989:046 - GALWAY: Abbeygate Street Upper, Townparks, Galway

The excavation took place over a three-week period in October and November 1989. The owner of the site provided the funding. The site, c.14m x 17m, was investigated for archaeological potential prior to redevelopment. Four areas which were to be disturbed were excavated to natural boulder clay or bedrock.

Four months prior to excavation, the buildings which had occupied the site were demolished and the area was cleared. Excavation revealed the stone foundations of these buildings which were post-medieval or later in date. To the rear of the dwelling house which had fronted Abbeygate Street Upper, a cobbled and flagged courtyard was uncovered, which post-dated the house. There was no evidence for earlier domestic structures on the site which was situated at the northern edge of the medieval town.

Cartographic evidence indicated that the line of the medieval north curtain town wall was located alongside or close to the north boundary of the excavation site. The face of a mortared stone foundation, 0.48m high, which was orientated east to west, was revealed here for 1.6m. Owing to the irregular plan of the existing boundary wall in the area, this was the only portion of the foundation on the site. A stone culvert, 0.3m wide and 0.26m high, ran northwards underneath the foundation. The construction date of the foundation and its original function could not be determined from the available archaeological evidence.

The quantity of finds from the excavation was small. The pottery consisted of two imported medieval sherds, some 17th- and 18th-century local and imported wares and modern crockery. Post-medieval wine bottle fragments and modern glass were also found.

Templemartin, Craughwell, Co. Galway