County: Galway Site name: GALWAY: Spanish Arch
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 97E0014
Author: Anne Connolly, Archaeological Services Unit Ltd.
Site type: Pier/Jetty
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 529683m, N 725041m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.271040, -9.054181
A five-week pre-development excavation was undertaken at the Spanish Arch, Galway, from 16 January 1997 in order to assess the suitability of the location for a proposed development.
Two main trenches were excavated immediately adjacent to the south-west and south-east walls of the Spanish Arch. The first, that adjacent to the south-west-facing wall, was excavated in order to investigate the stability of that wall. It became obvious at an early stage that the wall did not have any foundation and further excavations in that area were not carried out, owing to safety considerations. Excavation adjacent to the south-east-facing wall revealed it as an impressive sea-facing wall constructed of ashlar blocks. The ashlar blocks at the southernmost corner of the south-east wall were staggered irregularly, suggesting later interference.
The excavations adjacent to the south-east-facing wall produced the remains of four stone walls and a stone-faced rubble fill. The four walls can be dated to the 19th century, but the stone-lined rubble fill seemed to be considerably earlier. Owing to both the archaeological brief and safety considerations, the stone and rubble feature could not be fully investigated, but excavation revealed it to be a probable causeway or jetty leading south-eastwards to a setting of stone steps. The causeway was built directly adjacent to the south-east-facing wall but was not keyed in. The most vivid cartographic parallel for this structure is the depiction of this area by Thomas Phillips in 1685. Though it could not be securely dated, it seems likely that the steps would have served as an access either to a causeway or onto the tidal flood-plain itself. The structure could therefore pre-date 1690, when the Long Walk was beginning to be established.
The stratigraphy consisted entirely of redeposited fills of mixed materials. Finds discovered ranged in date from the 15th to the 20th century, with no sealed medieval or post-medieval layers uncovered. The pottery is mainly post-medieval English imported ware, and a small number of late medieval or early post-medieval French imports were also present.
Purcell House, Oranmore, Co. Galway
