County: Cork Site name: CORK: Skiddy's Lane
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 96E0369
Author: Mary O'Donnell, Archaeological Services Unit, University College Cork
Site type: Historic town
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 567009m, N 572159m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 51.900614, -8.479397
The site was excavated in advance of development over a six-week period in December 1996 and January 1997. The total area of excavation was approximately 6m north-south x 22m east-west and the site was situated at the rear of a property fronting onto North Main Street. The perimeter wall on the south of the site formed the north wall of Skiddy's Lane, one of the medieval laneways of the city.
Five levels of activity were uncovered above the estuarine mud dating from the mid-13th to the 18th century. The remains of six buildings from four levels were uncovered. The initial occupation deposits were layers of degraded organic material containing 13th/14th-century imported and local pottery and some animal bone.
Level 2 was 14th-century in date. The main features at this level were the remains of a stone-built house, possibly 7.6m north-south x 9.5m east-west, which may have exited onto Skiddy's Lane, and two large stone-built drains.
Level 3 was 14th/17th-century in date. House 1 was replaced by another stone building and there may also have been the remains of part of another structure at the west end of the site. House 2 had substantial stone walls and a cobbled floor and the interior was probably destroyed by fire.
Level 4 was 17th/18th-century in date. The remains of two adjoining houses covered much of the area of the site. Both areas were cobbled. Level 5 was 17th/18th-century in date. This level represents a rebuilding of the Level 4 structures.
The north wall of Skiddy's Castle, a 15th-century urban tower-house excavated in 1974–5, was exposed during removal of walls at the North Main Street end of the property. The wall was recorded and left in situ.
