1995:143 - ATHY: St John's House, St John's Lane, Kildare

Trial-trenching was undertaken at a proposed development site on 9 September as part of an archaeological evaluation and developmental impact study. It is proposed to construct a retail banking hall, shop units and apartments on the site. Given that the site is located within a zone of archaeological potential, it was decided to undertake the work prior to any formal application for planning permission.

The proposed development will be located in the south-eastern area of the grounds of St John's House, a 19th-century structure which was extensively extended early this century and is currently being renovated. The house and gardens are situated within the confines of the Priory of St Thomas, a Fratres Cruciferi establishment dating from c. 1253, and the hospital of St John, which is of similar date. A graveyard located to the south-west of the house may be medieval in origin, but none of the visible gravestones are pre-1700 in date.

A total of six trenches, with a combined length of 37m, were opened by machine, in order to evaluate the potential nature and extent of archaeological material within the proposed development area. One trench, No. 6, was abandoned owing to the existence of a loose gravel fill which continually collapsed into the trench. All other trenches revealed material which was archaeological in nature. The levels of the uppermost surface of this material ranged from 55.316m (min.) to 55.85m (max.) OD. A number of test-pits were opened to investigate the nature and depth of this archaeological material. No structural evidence was revealed and no finds or material which would have assisted in the dating of the material were recovered. The various strata of archaeological deposits, with an average combined thickness of 1.6m, included dumps of animal bone, cattle horn-cores, twigs and shell. It is possible that the various layers are indicative of continuous dumping of refuse along the original river bank, an area which would have been downslope of the medieval priory and hospital mentioned above. It is therefore speculated that this material is medieval in origin, associated with the ecclesiastical settlement, and that it was dumped over a continuous period, with occasional lapses, thus forming different homogeneous layers.

The original construction plan for the site called for the insertion of strip foundations. However, following the archaeological evaluation, it became clear that the development would need a piled foundation. Following advice from the OPW, it was decided to insert 26 augured piles, and every effort has been made to keep them as far apart as possible within the constraints of the building design and space considerations. Furthermore, the minimum clearance between the surface of the archaeology and the base of the ground beams will be in excess of 400mm. This design will hopefully ensure that disturbance to the subsurface archaeological strata will be kept to an absolute minimum. The foundation work for the development will be monitored in early 1996.

NOTE : The Urban Survey (Bradley et al. 1987, 58) mentions the existence of a twin-light round-headed limestone window with a diamond-shaped opening in the central spandrel, placed over the garden gate of St John's House. The two chamfered limestone jambs of the gate had glazing bar-holes and grooved recesses, and a limestone head was set above the window. These items have been removed in the recent past and are currently on display in the Athy Museum.
Reference
Bradley, J., Halpin, A. and King, H. 1987 Urban Archaeological Survey, VIII, Co. Kildare, (i). OPW.

39 Kerdiff Park, Monread, Naas, Co. Kildare