County: Kildare Site name: CASTLEDERMOT: Main Street
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 4:2 Licence number: 00E0550
Author: Rob Lynch, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd.
Site type: Religious house - Franciscan friars and Historic town
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 678189m, N 686019m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.919314, -6.837308
Test-trenching was carried out at Main Street, Castledermot, at the sites of the Franciscan friary, Carlow Gate, Dublin Gate, Market Square, and the Priory and Hospital of St John the Baptist, following recommendations of a desk-based assessment of the area undertaken by Martin Byrne in 1999.
Nine test-trenches were excavated between 9 and 18 August 2000. Significant deposits were recorded at the site of the Franciscan friary, Dublin Gate, Market Square, and the Priory and Hospital of St John the Baptist.
The Franciscan friary at Abbey Street
Excavations in Trench 1 indicated intense human activity in the area in the form of three cut features in virtually the same location. The presence of human remains represents at least two individuals.
Because of the proximity of the medieval friary and the occurrence of human remains, it is likely that archaeological features and deposits extend in all directions beyond that area tested by Trench 1.
The postulated location of Carlow Gate
Excavations in this location indicated that the proposed pipeline will run along the line of the existing sewer. No evidence of the mural tower was evident in those areas of the trenches that remained undisturbed by later activity. In addition, the first edition OS map (1837) indicates that the projected line of the town defences lies further south than that shown on the Urban Archaeology Survey of the town. If this is the case, it would imply that the remains of the tower may rest outside the area tested.
The postulated location of Dublin Gate
The archaeological deposits in this area occurred virtually beneath the existing roadway at a depth of between 0.27m and 0.34m below PGL. While excavations in this area revealed no structural evidence for Dublin Gate, there appeared to be at least two phases of medieval activity represented by a compacted clay floor/surface, which appeared to be industrial in nature, and two pits. The silty and organic quality of the deposits filling these features suggested that they might have been rubbish pits that had been left open to the elements.
Market Square
The Market Square area contained significant archaeological deposits ranging from the medieval period up to the 19th–20th centuries. These deposits survive to at least 1m in width, the latest phase of which occurred at a depth of between 0.3m and 0.4m below PGL.
The accumulation of at least 0.5m of medieval deposits in the area points to intense and sustained activity in Market Square during the medieval period. Although only limited areas were excavated, making cogent interpretation difficult, the organic nature of the deposits recorded was suggestive of occupation or perhaps an open area used to hold livestock.
St John’s Priory and Hospital on Main Street
No structural elements of St John’s Priory and Hospital were discovered during the test-trenching. As this area lay outside the town defences, the stratigraphy recorded was much shallower than that recorded in Market Square. It is possible that the pits and the medieval layer recorded may lie within the precinct walls of the hospital.
In addition to this, the remains of an 18th–19th-century structure, as seen on the first edition OS map (1837), was recorded. The function of this structure remains unclear.
8 Dungar Terrace, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin
