2001:715 - KILKENNY: River Nore (Collegepark/ Dukesmeadows/Bishopsmeadows/Gardens/Roaches Pond/Newpark Lower), Kilkenny

Introduction
An assessment was carried out in June and July 2001 to assess the archaeological impact on the riverbed of the River Nore (Kilkenny City) Drainage Scheme (formerly known as the Kilkenny Flood Relief Scheme). This assessment followed on from assessments of the banks and bed of the River Nore in 2000 by the writer (Excavations 2000, No. 551) and by Niall Brady (Excavations 2000, No. 549, 00D033), and in conjunction with additional assessment in 2001 (see Excavations 2001, No. 711).

The proposed large linear development is within the medieval city of Kilkenny, and incorporates river-widening, improvements to the flood defences, dredging and construction or alteration of new weirs, flood bunds and/or walls within the River Nore and its tributary the River Breagagh.

Twenty-one test-trenches were excavated and examined, covering a total area of 1125m2. Six cross-sections of the full width of the riverbed were achieved. Trenches were 5–12m long and 3–5m wide and were excavated to 0.5m below design depth (roughly 1–3m deep). They were excavated in spits, by machine, with spoil thinly spread out, washed and examined on dry land. The trenches were then surveyed and recorded by archaeological divers from ADCO Ltd. The results of this assessment are augmented by a parallel programme by ADCO Ltd of hand-dug underwater trenches (see Excavations 2001, No. 717).

Archaeological results
Five trenches were placed downstream of Green’s Bridge as far as the swimming-pool at John’s Quay. Trenches were positioned across the left (eastern) half of the river channel. A broken Neolithic mudstone axehead was found close to Mill Island, positioned in the centre of the river, within lower riverine cobbles. The axe was worn and broken across the centre and had a broad, flat, polished blade. All trenches produced early modern and modern debris, with notable concentrations of air-brick from the mill, as well as animal bone. The riverbed strata recorded comprised an upper layer of cobbles and small pebbles in coarse sand, overlying a fine sterile organic sandy clay. The upper pebble and cobbles layer produced modern material, but nothing was recovered from the organic clay below.

Three trenches were excavated within an area of the river 130–270m upstream of John’s Bridge, alongside Bateman Quay. They were positioned across the right (southern) half of the river channel. All three trenches produced early modern and modern finds, with notable concentrations of brick and glass bottles from the brewery, as well as animal bone and occasional iron slag. The riverbed strata recorded were an upper layer of cobbles and small pebbles in coarse sand, overlying a fine sterile organic sandy clay. The upper pebble and cobbles layer produced modern material, but nothing was recovered from the organic clay below.

Six trenches were excavated 130–240m downstream of John’s Bridge, opposite Kilkenny Castle. Three upstream trenches produced pottery dating from the medieval, late medieval and post-medieval periods, whilst the trenches downstream of the castle produced only post-medieval material. However, all trenches contained a sizeable quantity of early modern and modern material and produced animal bone. The riverbed strata comprised an upper layer of large-grade boulders and fallen masonry which overlay smaller pebbles and sand, which in turn sealed a sterile fine sand or riverine mud. The riverbed became increasingly more rocky further downstream, especially at the upper level. Although the upper boulder layer produced only modern material in all cases, the secondary pebble and cobble layers produced material ranging considerably in date.

Six trenches were excavated between Ormond Weir and Lacken Weir. All except one (located immediately upstream of Ormond Weir) produced artefacts dating from the medieval, late medieval and post-medieval periods, as well as animal bone, iron-working slag in abundance and possibly pottery-working waste. Large concentrations of medieval pottery and slag were noted immediately downstream of the site of Maudlin Mills. The riverbed here was composed of a layer of mud or sand over small pebbles, cobbles and sand (with lenses of fine sand) overlying large-grade boulders, and finally resting on limestone bedrock. Bedrock was noted at high levels on either side of Ormond Weir and opposite Ormond Mills, confirming the hypothesis that the late 19th-century weirs were constructed on high natural bedrock shelves.

Conclusions
Initial results suggest that archaeological material is part of a matrix of very mobile and residual gravel within the riverbed. Where objects are recovered they are mixed in date and range from the prehistoric to the medieval period and to the very modern, even at depths of 2.5m below the riverbed surface. Variations occurred along the width of the riverbed, where bends in the river produced upcast heavy material and adjacent scouring. Straight stretches of the river deposit greater quantities of sterile mud; however, the dynamics of the riverbed are largely a result of speed of flow.

The range of artefacts recovered during testing included small to medium-sized metal (especially iron) objects, military munitions, pottery sherds, clay pipe fragments, animal bone, slag, glass, occasionally worked wood and an isolated Neolithic stone axe.

Medieval and later medieval material was noted at intermittent locations tested downstream of John’s Bridge, with a concentration around the Ormond/Maudlin Mills complex, where river gravels sit directly on bedrock. However, nothing of archaeological significance, except the stone axe, was noted between Green’s Bridge and John’s Bridge. No structures or large features, such as boats or mill-wheels, were revealed during testing; however, these cannot be completely ruled out.

Owing to the significant archaeological impact of the proposed development, detailed archaeological monitoring was recommended.

2 Killiney View, Albert Road Lower, Glenageary, Co. Dublin