1999:295 - GALWAY: 9 Francis Street, Galway

Pre-development testing was undertaken on the site of a proposed development at No. 9 Francis Street, Galway. The proposed development site is outside the zone of archaeological importance for medieval Galway. This area of Galway, in the vicinity of the Franciscan friary, is depicted as a marshy area on the 1651 Pictorial Map of the city. This was also evident from the trenches dug during the testing. It would appear that this marshy area was reclaimed in post-medieval times, as the sides of the trenches were extremely unstable and were constantly caving in. Because of this subsidence the trenches were c. 1.5m wide as opposed to 2m as planned; all were 14m long. Four test-trenches were excavated by machine within the proposed development. They varied from 2m to 3.75m deep.

In Trench 1, underlying the topsoil, 0.8m thick, was a dark brown clay 0.9m thick. This produced some 19th/20th-century pottery. Underlying the dark brown clay was a mid-light brown clay, 0.48m thick. A clay pipe stem, some animal bone and two sherds of 18th/19th-century pottery were recovered from this layer. The natural, white/green daub directly underlay it.

In Trench 2, at the western end, the topsoil, 0.2m thick, directly overlay a brick and mortar layer 0.25m thick. Underlying this was a dark brown clay 0.8m thick, similar to that in Trench 1. A mid-light brown clay, 0.4–0.6m thick, directly underlay the dark brown clay. This clay was similar to that in Trench 1 and directly overlay a natural, grey/white daub. In the eastern half of the trench a mortar and clay layer, 0.83m thick, directly overlay a dark brown clay 1.2m thick, which produced some 18th/19th-century pottery. This overlay a natural, grey/white daub.

In Trench 3, underlying the garden soil, 0.15m thick, was a light brown topsoil with mortar and roots, 0.76m thick. A dark brown clay, 0.7m thick, similar to that in Trench 1, directly underlay the light brown topsoil. Some 19th/20th-century pottery was recovered from this clay. Underlying this was a mid-brown clay, 0.41m thick, which produced some animal bone and some 18th/19th-century pottery. A natural, white daub, 0.17m thick, underlay the mid-brown clay. Underlying the white daub was a natural peat layer 0.38m thick, which in turn overlay a natural, grey daub. The stratigraphy within Trench 4 was similar to that in Trench 3.

No archaeological features or finds were recovered from any of the trenches.

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