County: Waterford Site name: ST AUGUSTINE STREET ('Friary Street'), Dungarvan Urban District
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: Catryn Power, Dept. of Archaeology, University College Cork
Site type: Town defences and Well
Period/Dating: Late Medieval (AD 1100-AD 1599)
ITM: E 626087m, N 593005m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.088357, -7.619325
During trenching for sewerage pipes during July-Sept. 1989, a stone well and town ditch were uncovered. Excavation commenced on September 5th and continued for 4 weeks. The well was uncovered towards the northern end of St Augustine Street (locally known as Friary Street). Half of this well was destroyed by heavy machinery during trenching for the sewage scheme. The well was 0.8m in diameter and was excavated to a depth of 1.35m. Immediately under the road surface c. 2m east of the well was a wall (1m in width; 2.69m in length). The wall is on the site of the medieval town wall and may well be part of it.
To the south and at the junction of Friary Street and Emmet Street a ditch was uncovered for a distance of 3.5m. This contained layers of 17th- 19th-century pottery and glass as well as animal and fish bones. Under these layers collapsed stones were evident on what appeared to be a bank. An 18th-century map indicates that the town wall was located in this area; this wall was in use until the 17th century. The location of the excavated ditch would suggest that this may be the moat associated with the medieval town wall.
