1998:239 - GALWAY: Abbeygate Street Upper, Galway

The site lies to the rear of several properties at Abbeygate Street Upper and contains several derelict cottages and ruinous buildings, some of which were in serious danger of collapsing. A building's survey was undertaken by this writer in December 1997, and it was established that the large, three-storey building that dominates the site preserves substantial remains of a late medieval structure. Archaeological monitoring of the demolition of all other buildings was undertaken from 23 February to 6 March 1998, and several reused late medieval stones were retrieved.

The second phase of work was carried out between 9 and 27 March 1998 and comprised a reassessment and survey of the large three-storey building. Portions of the north-west wall and south-west gable were late medieval in date, but it was also clear that the north-east gable and south-east wall were of 19th-century construction. The north-east gable was demolished immediately as it was in an extremely dangerous condition. Several late medieval stones were recovered from this phase of demolition and it was noted that the east corner of the building was almost entirely built with reused late medieval stones (corbels, sills, jambstones etc.). A scaled elevation drawing of the outer face of the south-east wall was undertaken, and all reused late medieval stones and the fine 19th-century doorway were numbered, in order to facilitate retrieval. During the subsequent demolition of this wall all numbered stones and numerous other reused late medieval stones were recovered. These are stored on site.

Following the completion of demolition works the north-west wall and south-west gable were scaffolded, cleared of ivy growth and stripped of the modern plasterwork. The exposed south-west gable was almost entirely faced with red brick, indicating that it was extensively rebuilt or refaced as part of the 19th-century refurbishment of the building. The ground floor of the north-west wall contains two, possibly three, late medieval slit opes set in deeply splayed embrasures.

A test excavation was undertaken from 30 March to 3 April 1998. Four test-trenches were excavated. No archaeological stratigraphy was encountered, but important and complex late medieval structural remains were identified in the above- and below-ground fabric of the large, late medieval/19th-century building. It is extremely difficult to interpret the findings without further excavation, but the evidence from Trench 1 suggests that there are at least three phases of medieval construction preserved in the existing structural remains.

31 Ashbrook, Oranmore, Co. Galway