2003:1022 - KILKENNY: John's Bridge, Rose Inn Street/John's Street (NOR 11), Kilkenny

As part of the River Nore (Kilkenny City) Drainage Scheme, works resumed in 2003 in the area underneath and beside John’s Bridge. The works were carried out to underpin the bridge, which dates from 1910. Previous work here consisted of underwater exploration and excavation by the Archaeological Diving Company and full excavation carried out by the writer in summer 2002 (Excavations 2002, Nos 1017 and 1026). During these excavations, a sequence of bridges from the late medieval period through to the 18th century were revealed. Two collapsed post-and-wattle fences were also exposed on the western side of the riverbank. These have since produced two Late Bronze Age radiocarbon dates.

During the monitoring of underpinning works in 2003, two additional iron-shod oak vertical piles were identified in the area adjacent to the western abutment of the existing bridge. These are similar to examples recovered from this area in 2002 and were associated with the remains of a collapsed masonry pier from the pre-1763 bridge. On the basis of examples of these piles dated by dendrochronology, the two retrieved in 2003 can be assigned to the late 16th century. During the underpinning of the eastern bridge abutment, a portion of a medieval grave slab was recovered. This is an addition to the collection of grave slabs recovered from the river gravels under John’s Bridge in 2001–2002. Further details on the archaeological works carried out as part of the River Nore (Kilkenny City) Drainage Scheme can be found at www.mglarc.com/projects/nore, and copies of all reports from the works have been lodged with the local library in Kilkenny city.

2 Killiney View, Albert Road Lower, Glenageary, Co. Dublin