County: Limerick Site name: ST MARY’S CATHEDRAL, Limerick
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 92E0075
Author: Brian Hodkinson
Site type: Cathedral
Period/Dating: Medieval (AD 400-AD 1600)
ITM: E 557759m, N 657543m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.667420, -8.624494
Between November 1996 and March 1997 the insertion of a new floor in the main body of the cathedral was monitored. The work involved removal of up to 0.5m of deposits below the old floor, to allow space for underfloor heating. There was a degree of flexibility within the design to allow any potential archaeological problems to be overcome.
Post-medieval burials had taken place within the whole building (Excavations 1992, 42–3) but over most of the nave and side chapels these lay below the relevant levels and were not disturbed. In the south transept a number of late graves were encountered at a slightly higher level, but these had already been disturbed by earlier work on the floor and removal of an already partially demolished brick arch was all that was required to achieve the required levels.
Under both transept arches late medieval wall foundations were uncovered, the western ends of which stood higher than the required level. After consultation with the National Monuments Service and full recording of the walls, a single course of stone was removed from part of each wall. This was the only removal of medieval material during the work.
On the north side of the chancel the vault under the O’Brien Monument was found to continue a short way into the chancel, to allow access via a flight of steps, and the top of the arch over the steps was somewhat higher than required. A probable cross-wall was also encountered running across the chancel roughly in line with the east end of the O’Brien Monument. It too was slightly higher than required, so a slight redesign was undertaken which allowed the area to be floored without further disturbance of the remains.
No medieval stratigraphy was disturbed during the work. Thirty fragments of tile and several architectural details were the only medieval finds retrieved, all from disturbed contexts. An assortment of post-medieval ceramics and glass was also found. Large quantities of disarticulated human bone within the disturbed material over the late graves was collected for reburial.
Cragg, Birdhill, Co. Tipperary
