1992:023 - CORK: Kyrls Quay/North Main St, Cork

Archaeological excavations were undertaken by Cork Corporation on behalf of the developer in advance of redevelopment. The area subject to development as a multistorey car park and shopping centre, extends from Kyle St to Kyrls Quay and includes nos 15-17 North Main St Medieval urban stratigraphy and a 60m length of city wall were excavated.

Archaeological work commenced in May 1992 and the excavation of 580 sq. m was completed by the beginning of July. The earliest occupation levels were of 13th-century date. There were no remains of medieval houses in the central part of the site, but the post and wattle property boundaries of the burgess plots as well as storage and cess-pits were well represented. The continuity of the property boundaries is an interesting feature, for the lines remained virtually unchanged for almost 800 years. Each successive re-building respected the division of the backyards into linear plots extending from North Main St eastwards towards the city wall. An alleyway leading at right angles to North Main St was laid out in the late 13th or early 14th century. This was re-surfaced several times until it was disused in the 16th or 17th century. Many stone-lined and timber-lined wells were also located in the backyards.

Close to North Main St the fragmentary foundations of 13th/14th-century timber framed houses were uncovered. Subsequently, these houses were re-built in stone. Part of the foundations of a substantial stone building stood on the eastern side of North Main St on the opposite side to Skiddy's Castle. The structure appears to be of 14th- or 15th-century date, and may be part of an urban tower house of a type similar to Skiddy's Castle.

A 60m length of city wall was excavated between July and September. The wall stood to a maximum height of 3.2m. It was predominantly of 13th-century date but contained some sections which were re-built at later times. The lower courses of the outer face were bartered (sloped) and above this the wall rose vertically. The inner face was vertical and a number of discontinuities in the masonry show that the wall was built in individual lengths.

The main features of the wall were 2 gateways (watergates), one with a paved slipway through which small boats could have been drawn up. The bolt holes and iron hinge pivots for a wooden door survived. At the extreme north-west end of the excavation the foundations of a tower or mural turret survived.

This was one of the many towers which were located intermittently on the circuit of the wall, but is, in fact, the 1st to have been excavated in Cork. The tower consisted of a shaped projection from the city wall with a solid base faced with dressed limestone blocks on the battered foundation.

The city wall, which would have served as a quay as well as a defensive wall, may originally have stood to a height of 6m or more. Over the course of the 500 years that it was in use, up to 3m of silt and debris from human occupation accumulated on either side of it. When it was demolished to ground level in the 18th century, the lower wall levels remained preserved beneath the ground.

Many artefacts were found. The most numerous objects are pottery sherds, nearly 10,000 in all. Most of the wine jugs were imported from the Saintonge area of south-west France and from Bristol, England. Many artefacts made from wood, leather and bone were also found.

City Hall, Cork