2002:0858 - ARDREW/BALLYBOUGHT/BENNETSBRIDGE/TONLEGEE, Kildare

Monitoring took place of groundworks disturbed by the Fortbarrington Sewerage Scheme south of Athy town, to the west of and in the flood-plain of the River Barrow. The project involved the opening of trenches along the existing roadway, through one greenfield site and the route of a stream, to receive sewage pipes servicing local houses. Two pumping stations were also constructed in the low-lying areas to pump the waste uphill to the Fortbarrington Sewage Treatment Facility.

One site was uncovered during monitoring of this scheme, consisting of oak timbers lying in river sediments. This site was investigated and has been preserved in situ, the works having been diverted to avoid the archaeological remains. One timber was retained after having been disturbed by machinery and will be used to provide dating evidence.

The stream that passes under the Ballybought laneway 21m south of where this timber was found is a tributary of the Barrow, which it joins 150m east of the site. Its source is c. 5.5km directly west of the site, in County Laois. From consultation of cartographic, documentary and local sources, this stream does not seem to have a name. It appears to have been diverted during its lifetime. Works were undertaken to straighten sections of it, as can be seen by comparing Alexander Taylor’s 1783 map with the present OS maps. According to local knowledge, many of these works took place during the mid-19th century. Groups of workmen from Laois County Council were still clearing out the stream and maintaining the banks as far as the Barrow up until 25 years ago.

As can be seen from Taylor’s map, there appears to have been a considerable diversion of the stream directly west of the site. It also shows a mill in the field to the south-west of the site, the remains of which still stand, making up part of the field boundary. There is further reference to this mill in the 1654–6 Civil Survey: ‘There is upon ye aforesaid lands of St Johns Hospitall one stone house and two mills’; it also states that the land was owned by ‘Sr Robert King, Knt’ (Simington 1952). It is possible that the stream was diverted to the south as it entered Tonlegee. It then followed a wide arc to the mill, where it turned sharply to the north, rejoined the original course and continued to run east. However, the current route of the stream suggests that after the mill had been abandoned the stream reverted to its original course. It may at one stage have run under the Ballybought laneway farther north than it now does. The timbers uncovered may be revetments that were originally set into the bank. The stratigraphy examined during excavation certainly suggests this.

Monitoring of these works began on 19 March 2002. Section 1 ran from the north-western extent of the scheme to the north-eastern. It followed the route of the roadway, cutting through the modern surface. This roadway follows the northern boundary wall of Tonlegee House estate and is noted on Taylor’s map. The pipe-trench was excavated to a general width of 0.7–1.2m, widening to 2.5m at every manhole construction point; it was 1.2–5m in maximum depth and c. 1.8km in total length. A track machine fitted with a 1m toothed bucket was used. The level of ground disturbance for modern reconstruction of the road was considerable. The stratigraphy consisted of the modern road construction layers lying directly on the natural, silty sand, which was visible throughout the area monitored.

A number of possible features were noted along the length of the trench. On examination it became clear that they were of natural origin. The fills were uniform throughout, orange silty sand with occasional darker, organic lenses. The features were situated randomly along the length of the trench, throughout the area affected by the scheme, and never continued on the side of the trench opposite to the one in which they appeared. It was concluded that these features were tree holes.

Section 2 ran from the north-eastern extent of the scheme to the south-eastern. It followed the route of the Ballybought laneway, which meanders south-east as far as the county boundary with Laois. This laneway at one time turned south-west and continued along the county boundary until it reached the main Carlow road, as can be seen on Taylor’s map. It is now blocked up just west of the farmyard at the end of the present lane. The stratigraphy consisted of the modern lane surface construction layers lying on top of a deposit of water-rolled stones. This may be a previous lane surface. Below this was a layer of flood deposit consisting of yellow/orange silty sand. This deposit in turn covered what appeared to be an earlier lane surface. This even cobble layer could be seen at two locations along the section of the pipe-trench and was on average 0.56m below the present lane surface. No finds or datable evidence were found in these layers.

During the excavation associated with construction of Pumping Station No. 2 a timber was recovered from the bucket of the excavator. Works were halted for full investigation of the remains. It was revealed that there were two more timbers in situ 1.23m below the surface of the present laneway. The layers surrounding the timbers appeared to be riverine deposits. The layers directly north of Timber 3 have been interpreted as an earlier stream bank. The composition of the deposits immediately below and around the timbers suggests erosion and deposition. On-site analysis by Ingelise Stuijts has confirmed that Timber 1 is oak and should therefore provide adequate dating evidence. A decision was made to stabilise Timber 3 in situ and divert the construction works to avoid the disturbance of this timber.

Section 3 ran from the north-western extent of the scheme to the south-western. It followed the route of the Athy–Carlow road running south and had the same dimensions as the previous two sections. From Pumping Station No. 1 it crossed the main roadway and cut through a field that had been quite clearly drained, reclaimed and built up with modern material. No features were uncovered during this part of the excavation. The pipe-trench then crossed beneath the same stream as passes under the Ballybought laneway, necessitating its diversion and reinstatement. No features of archaeological interest were seen in the streambed or banks before or during these works. The trench then continued through another greenfield area. The topsoil here reached a depth of 0.5m and came down onto the natural, yellow/orange, silty sand. No features were uncovered during this part of the excavation. The trench then crossed onto the main road and continued southward, for a distance of 540m. Again cutting through modern roadway surface, the pipe-trench sections revealed similar stratigraphy to those of Section 1.

Reference
Simington, R.C. 1952 The civil survey 1654–1656. Volume VIII: County of Kildare. Dublin.

41 The Orchard, Kilkenny