County: Kilkenny Site name: KILKENNY: Greensbridge St./New St.
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: Margaret Gowen
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 650939m, N 656043m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.653190, -7.247139
The development site is located to the east and north-east of the graveyard of St Maul's church which is thought to date from the Early Christian period and there are references to a church on the site from the 14th century. Both sites lie on a gravel ridge which peters out towards the east and south-east; the graveyard site lies at the crest of the ridge, some 3-4m higher than any surrounding ground. Some time after the completion of the 1st edition of the Ordnance Survey the graveyard wall was rebuilt, apparently inside its original boundary. According to the Urban Archaeological Survey files the church is referred to in the Red Book of Ossory as Capella Sante Malle (Carrigan, Rev. W., 1905, Vol III, 193-4). According to tradition the name refers to St Canice's mother, though it has also been attributed to St Mel, the first bishop of Ardagh (Bradley, J. in (eds). W. Nolan, and K. Whelan, 1990, 71).
The assessment was based on the inspection of five, mechanically excavated, bucket-width trenches extending radially from the graveyard wall, and was carried out to test the surrounding area for a possible early enclosure; no evidence for one was revealed. There are no burials on this site and no features or soils which might suggest the presence of archaeological activity.
There were no archaeological implications for the development, except in the extreme south-west corner where a curved access boundary might involve the excavation of a small amount of material in the graveyard site, inside the present boundary wall. It was suggested that this work should be be carried out under archaeological supervision as burials may be disturbed.
Rath House, Ferndale Rd, Rathmichael, Co. Dublin
