County: Waterford Site name: WATERFORD: Custom House B Ward
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: Ben Murtagh and Maurice Hurley, Waterford Archaeological Excavations
Site type: Gateway
Period/Dating: Late Medieval (AD 1100-AD 1599)
ITM: E 660637m, N 612352m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.259537, -7.111766
In the course of installation of telecommunication services for the new city centre shopping development, a gateway in the city wall became apparent. As the service trenches were only open for a short period, the archaeological staff of Sisk Properties Ltd. were called on to investigate this feature.
Only the west face (outer) of the wall was exposed. It consisted of two ashlar-built jambs surviving to c.3-4 courses high, above projecting plinths. The gateway opening was 1.72m in width. The roadway, of compact redeposited boulder clay, was c.3m below the modern street level. When the wall/gateway had been surveyed, the pit was backfilled and the structure remains in situ.
The gateway is contemporary with the pre-Norman city wall, excavated adjacent to Bakehouse Lane (Excavations 1988, 37). The wall has been provisionally dated to the early 12th century.
City Centre Development, High Street, Waterford
