2000:0531 - FENNESSY’S WEIR, Archersgrove, Kilkenny, Kilkenny

Test-trenching was carried out for the proposed Kilkenny Flood Relief Scheme at the site of Fennessy’s Mills, which is situated 1.25km east of the centre of the city, on the southern bank of the River Nore. This site is marked in the Archaeological Urban Survey of Kilkenny and is described in the EIA as ‘post-medieval water mills’. It is recorded as cornmills, named as ‘Archers Mills’, at the time of the Civil Survey of 1654–5. A grant by the earl of Ormonde to William Archer is recorded in 1426. Two stone mills are referred to in 1416, and the Quarryland Mill opposite Fennessy’s is referred to in 1633 (Doyle 1985, 153). In 1850 the mills were owned by Richard Sullivan; however, by 1891 they are described as ‘disused about to be converted to a bone crushing plant’ (Doyle 1985, 153). The mills survive in ruins and contain a weir to the west of the buildings.

The current proposed development is to widen both banks of the River Nore by up to 20m along the north bank and 25m along the south bank at a point adjacent to the mill building. It is also proposed to break the weir for a 40m section within the river channel.

Two test-trenches were excavated at this site. Trench 1 was located adjacent to the eastern end of the weir and was 6m long, 2m wide and up to 2.7m deep. Trench 2 was located across the centre of the weir and was 7m long, 1.5m wide and 2.4m deep.

The weir was substantially overgrown, and part of this was cleared back by machine to expose the structure in plan. The core of the weir was revealed to be constructed of uncut limestone boulders between 0.5m and 0.9m in length and wet, dark grey gravel with very occasional worked wood, steel and animal bone inclusions. No foundation or plinth for the weir was noted; it was built directly onto white, hard, micaeous bedrock or yellow-white, fine sand, with oyster-shell inclusions further west, with the apparent weight of the rubble displacing the dark grey riverine gravels to one side.

The weir appeared to be constructed by a causeway of large boulders thrown into the river and was faced with pitching of similar-sized, shaped boulders, wedged into place. The weir had a curved profile upstream and was gently sloping downstream from the crest. It has a linear plan, is orientated north-west/south-east and measures c. 140m in length, although the central section measuring 27m in length no longer survives. Both sides of the face had been repaired with concrete.

Further monitoring of development and architectural survey was recommended.

Reference
Doyle, J. 1985 The watermills of Kilkenny. Old Kilkenny Review, 147–60.

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