1992:035 - QUOILE RIVER, Inch Abbey, Down

In 1958 the Quoile River was drained for the first time by removing mud and silt to deepen its course, and the spoil was spread along the banks. Such a drainage operation could be considered to have rendered the river archaeologically sterile but recent finds, although undoubtedly disturbed, illustrate the potential for recovery of large and small objects even after major drainage.

During the course of river maintenance in November 1991, 2 squared oak timbers were recovered by dredger operators. One is 6.8m long and has a mortice hole at one end, a slot 0.5m long at the centre and a narrow 'rail' with 2 perforations at the other end. The second timber is 5.45m long with one end worked to a hook-like shape. Their felling dates have been dendrochronologically dated at QUB to AD 1559 ± 9 years and AD 1523 ±9 years respectively.

An unfinished dugout canoe dredged up at the same time has been dated by the same method to BC 2739 ± 9 years. This is the earliest date yet for a canoe in Ireland and is somewhat controversial: some people believe that it may be a natural piece of oak weathered out to resemble a dugout. However gouge marks on one surface support the view that it was being manufactured when it was abandoned. The remains of a second dugout with internal ribs, recovered some 100m upstream have not yet been dated. Because of the scale of the oak timbers and their proximity to the Cistercian Abbey at Inch, an archaeological investigation of the river bed was undertaken. The Irish Underwater Archaeological Research Team (IUART) was enlisted to help and on an initial scouting trip they found a rectangular copper ingot, 0.58m long x 0.36m wide x 0.01m thick, projecting from the river bed. There is an abstract symbol on one side and it has been provisionally identified as 16th or 17th century in date and possibly from the Swedish mine of Stora Kopparberg.

Diving took place during a week in July and a further week in October 1992 when a complete oak soleplate 6.5m long with 7 mortice holes was recovered, as well as a number of smaller timbers. The soleplate has a dendrochronological felling date of AD 1529 ± 9 years and a short length of broken oak beam was felled in AD 1564 ± 9 years. Use of metal detectors underwater as part of the licensed operation recovered a bronze weight-box, some 60 brass discs and parts of a miniature weighing scales.

A zone of underwater timbers, which contains oak beams as well as planking from a boat of uncertain date, has been defined on the northern bank of the river and awaits further investigation during 1993.

Clearly the large timbers were part of a substantial structure and although they had felling dates ranging from 1523 to 1564 it may be suggested that they all belong to the same structure, probably a bridge or jetty. Such timbers were recovered from the River Cashen in Kerry in the 1950s by the late Professor O'Kelly where they were clearly a bridge (JRSAI vol. 91, 1961, 135-52). The purpose for such a structure at a time when the abbey at Inch was being run down is unclear. It may have been used to remove building materials to nearly Downpatrick or it may have been used to convey cargo to and from a kiln of uncertain date and use which stands at the old shore line.

It is hoped to continue work here in 1993 to recover more information about the timbers in the river and their links, if any, with the old, pre-drainage shore line.

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