County: Galway Site name: TUAM: Temple Jarlath
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 29:180C Licence number: 01E1193 ext.
Author: Jerry O’Sullivan, NRA Project Archaeologist
Site type: Church and Graveyard
Period/Dating: Medieval (AD 400-AD 1600)
ITM: E 543389m, N 752005m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.514975, -8.853562
A second phase of urban improvements at Temple Jarlath was monitored for Galway County Council in March 2002 (see Excavations 2001, No. 531, for Phase 1). Here, the ruins of the medieval parish church stand in a graveyard that is raised considerably above the surrounding street level.
The second phase of improvements involved the replacement of the pavement and lighting along part of the northern perimeter of the graveyard, along High Street, and extended over a sector of c. 60m at this side. The existing pavement and some underlying modern fills were removed to expose natural subsoils (clean, compact, grey gravels) at a depth of c. 0.2m. At three points deeper cuttings were made (1m by 1m by 0.8m deep) to allow the erection of new lamp-posts. Again, nothing was exposed apart from natural subsoils.
At this side of the old churchyard the level of c. 3m below that of the adjoining cemetery. Although the level of the cemetery has undoubtedly risen over the years, the street level appears to have been truncated or cut downward. This at least would explain the abrupt transition from modern pavement to sterile subsoil in the heart of a historical town, where stratified cultural material might otherwise be expected to occur.
Galway County Council
