1999:516 - LIMERICK: Charlotte's Quay, Limerick

Monitoring and excavation work were carried out before construction of a multi-storey carpark and ancillary works at the rear of Charlotte's Quay, Limerick. The site is between St Michael's graveyard and an extant portion of the medieval town wall. Some previous archaeological investigation in this area revealed large-scale post-medieval disturbance, with limited pockets of archaeological activity (Lynch 1984).

Monitoring and testing in February 1999 identified only two areas of archaeological activity. Area A was outside the south-eastern end of the existing graveyard boundary wall, within an area of substantial post-medieval disturbance. Skeletal remains were identified (at c. 5.45m OD and 5.8m OD), within pockets of an undisturbed clay horizon. Area B was a small area in the extreme north-eastern corner of the site. This consisted of an extremely thin band of charcoal-flecked, grey clay overlying natural boulder clay. No datable finds were recovered; however, the deposit appeared to be a residual, undisturbed archaeological layer.

The monitoring and testing suggested that c. 95% of the site had been disturbed by post-medieval activity, caused principally by 19th-century gasworks. The only archaeology of any substance was in a small area at the south-west corner of the site. Several design changes were made to the proposed development, in consultation with the NMHPS, the NMI and the developer, which minimised the impact on the areas of known archaeology.

In March 1999 a limited archaeological excavation was carried out at the extreme south-western corner of the site (Area A). This revealed that St Michael's graveyard continued well beyond the south-eastern limit of the existing boundary wall. In situ burial remains were identified in shallow, earth-cut graves. A maximum of eight individuals were identified, both articulated and disarticulated (specialist report by Clare Mullins). Pottery associations suggested a 13th/14th-century date.

Reference
Lynch, A. 1984 PRIA 84C, 281–331.

44 Eaton Heights, Cobh, Co. Cork