2002:0292 - CORK: White Street, Cork

Test-trenching took place at White Street, Cork, in February 2002 as an extension of this licence. The site is c. 500m south-east of (i.e. outside) the medieval city wall in a marshy area that was reclaimed and developed in the 18th century. The Benedictine priory of Saint John the Evangelist, founded in c. 1191, is said to have stood in or near Douglas Street. Its exact location is not known. The Urban Archaeological Survey map places it in the area directly to the north of the proposed development site.

In 2002 three trenches were excavated along the northern, western and southern perimeters of the site to the depth at which natural material (in this instance estuarine silts and clays) was encountered.

Stratigraphy was uniform in the trenches, with layers of 18th-/19th-century date predominating beneath layers of modern concrete and paving. A drain and a wall recorded during testing appeared to be of 18th-/19th-century date.

The modern layers were 0.25–0.4m deep, and the 18th-/19th-century layers were 0.4–1m deep. The 18th-/19th-century material consisted of loose stones and rubble (mortar, brick, slate etc.) containing charcoal, shell, animal bone and some sherds of post-medieval ware. Naturally occurring silts and gravelly, silty clay occurred at 0.8–1.6m.

The stratigraphy at the site suggested that the ground level here was raised and consolidated by the dumping of material in the post-medieval period. In this low-lying area, which is still susceptible to flooding, much of the ground has been reclaimed by this method. No finds, features or levels that could be associated with the Benedictine priory were identified.

AE House, Monahan Road, Cork