2002:0277 - CORK: Grand Parade and Washington Street, Cork

Archaeological investigations before micro-tunnelling works in the Grand Parade and Washington Street were required, as the line of the tunnel was within the zone of archaeological importance.

Grand Parade
The Grand Parade was a former river channel directly east of the medieval city. There was no evidence of any structures pre-dating the 18th century in the Grand Parade; however, several artefacts were uncovered, including post-medieval pottery, a small bronze buckle, possibly from a shoe, animal bone and some lead shot. This material may have been dumped in the tidal marsh and estuary.

Washington Street
The medieval city wall (SMR 74:34(02)) was uncovered at two locations along Washington Street. Both the east wall and the west wall of the medieval city were investigated. The widths of the walls were established first, and then the exterior wall faces were exposed. The walls stood to a maximum height of 4m and survived to c. 0.4–1.29m below the present street surface. The upstanding remains of the medieval city wall of Cork were largely demolished when it had gone out of use sometime after 1690 (Bradley et al. 1985). Both walls were of substantial construction, built of roughly dressed limestone blocks with some sandstone. The walls survived in good condition.

At the west wall a 1.6m-wide trench oriented east–west was opened. The top of the wall as excavated was more or less of uniform height, and it was 2m wide at the surface. The west face was built of hewn blocks of roughly dressed limestone. The wall was oriented north-north-west/south-south-east. Occasional red sandstone chips were used as packing between some of the courses. The lower part (2.3m below ground level) of the wall had a very prominent batter, increasing the width of the wall by 1.52m; above this the wall would have originally stood vertically but appeared to have tilted eastward, creating a pronounced bulge in the outer face. A substantial footing of 0.6m was recorded.

At the east wall a trench measuring 1m by 5m and oriented east–west (at right angles to the proposed line of the city wall) was investigated. This trench was near the site of recent excavations (Lynch 1991; Wren 1995; Cleary 1996). It was apparent that two phases of building were represented in the wall, i.e. that one was built directly on top of another. The lower courses were interpreted as the medieval city wall. The upper courses, in a very different style of construction, clearly represented a post-medieval rebuilding. The wall was oriented north-north-west/ south-south-east, 4? west of north. The foundation footing was constructed on a grey estuarine clay. The wall was 2.5m wide at the surface.

Testing in two other locations along Washington Street revealed late medieval organic layers at c. 1m below the present road surface; structures such as drains and culverts were also noted. The nature and depth of this material were not determined at this stage as the trenches were excavated to depths of only 2m. The results from the testing indicate that the recorded stratigraphy represented the uppermost layers of in situ archaeological material beneath the street. The finds included iron slag and medieval pottery sherds.

References
Bradley, J., Halpin, A. and King, H.A. 1985 Urban Archaeological Survey. Part XIVCD, Cork City. Unpublished. Office of Public Works.
Cleary, R.M. 1996 Report on archaeological excavations at 2 Washington St, Cork. Unpublished report lodged with the City Archaeologist’s Office, Cork City Council, and Dúchas: The Heritage Service.
Lynch, L. 1991 Report on archaeological excavations at 51 Washington Street, Cork. Unpublished report lodged with the City Archaeologist’s Office, Cork City Council, and Dúchas: The Heritage Service.
Wren, J. 1995 Appendix 3: The city wall at 81–83 Grand Parade, Cork. Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society 100, 88–9.

Cork City Council, City Hall, Cork