County: Kilkenny Site name: KILKENNY: Patrick Street Upper
Sites and Monuments Record No.: RMP 19:29 Licence number: 01E0272
Author: Anne Marie Lennon, Mary Henry Archaeological Services Ltd.
Site type: Historic town
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 650698m, N 655426m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.647669, -7.250795
Testing was carried out in advance of development of five residential properties on this site, which lies within the zone of archaeological potential for Kilkenny city and immediately adjacent to the remains of St Patrick’s Church and graveyard. The highest point of the site is located to the south; from here the ground slopes sharply to the north and west. Eleven test-trenches were opened across the area of the proposed development.
Nine of the trenches revealed a considerable quantity of infill that had been used to raise the level of the site. This infill was up to 2m deep and consisted of 18th–19th-century rubble. The remaining two trenches revealed material of archaeological interest. Both of these trenches were located to the south-east, at the highest point of the site. The first trench measured 19.5m by 1m and was excavated to a depth of 0.9–1.2m. Packed directly against this sloping subsoil to the east was a brown organic deposit that contained several sherds of Kilkenny-type cooking ware, dating from the 13th–14th centuries. Overlying the medieval deposit and sloping west was a dark organic post-medieval fill similar to that uncovered in the other trenches.
The second trench was opened adjacent to the boundary wall of St Patrick’s graveyard. Redeposited disarticulated human bone was uncovered below the present ground surface. No evidence for in situ burial was uncovered at this level.
No development will take place at the location of these trenches. The area will be used as garden space and hard landscaped to prevent further disturbance.
No additional archaeological deposits were uncovered during monitoring.
24 Queen Street, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
