2002:1042 - THOMASTOWN, Kilkenny

The sewerage system at Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny, was to be upgraded, and the scheme included part of the historical core of the medieval town. The main area to be affected was near the possible site of the medieval bridge across the River Nore (SMR 28:18(09)). The exact location of the bridge, which was washed away in 1763, was unknown but presumed to be immediately upstream of the modern bridge, at the end of Guter Lane. An assessment of the riverine crossing was undertaken by Eoghan Kieran, but no remains of the bridge were evident during the foreshore and underwater survey. A test excavation was subsequently carried out on the west bank of the river in May 2002. No remains were found during the excavation, which confirmed the findings of the assessment that the bank of the river was composed of modern land-claim material.

The excavation of the sewer-pipe trench along Guter Lane and across the River Nore was monitored in June and July 2002. It was anticipated that the remains of a quay wall might be present in the area, but no archaeological remains were uncovered during this monitoring.

During the excavation of the river crossing, the remains of a large upright timber and a second, smaller timber were uncovered close to the western bank of the river, c. 3m from the area of the test excavation. The top of a second upright timber was uncovered just outside the trench, immediately west of the first timber. These appear to be the remains of a wooden bridge across the River Nore. Unfortunately it was not possible to obtain a date for the timbers using dendrochronology, but it is likely that they date to the later medieval period. No other timbers were uncovered during the rest of the excavation, and no finds were recovered.

Department of Archaeology, University College Cork