County: Kilkenny Site name: KILKENNY: 25 High Street
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 97E0309
Author: Martin Reid, for John Channing, Archaeological Consultancy
Site type: Castle - unclassified
Period/Dating: Medieval (AD 400-AD 1600)
ITM: E 650439m, N 656043m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.653237, -7.254527
Site testing took place at the rear of Paul Mooney's sweetshop on High Street, Kilkenny, in advance of development for a retail outlet. The initial testing took place on 5 August 1997, and this established the presence of medieval deposits and a possible medieval stone foundation lining the north side of the site.
Further testing/excavation took place over a two-week period from 30 September to 10 October, and this uncovered a substantial medieval foundation lining the whole of the north side of the site along Poyntz's Lane. At the west end of the foundation there was a deeper, battered foundation which was a minimum of 2m deep, and this suggests either a defensive function or else that a cesspit, which was only partially lined, was situated at this point.
Pottery from deposits abutting the foundations dated from the mid-12th/13th century. This appeared to be the south side of a large building or complex of buildings extending westwards from High Street, and it clearly pre-dates the present Poyntz's Lane.
All walls were drawn in plan and in elevation prior to demolition to formation level, and the demolition was monitored for cut stones or other artefacts. Further monitoring for associated groundworks is being carried out by Patrick Neary.
17 Rowan House, Sussex Road, Dublin 4
