2004:0806 - CASTLEDERMOT: Main Street, Kildare

Archaeological investigations were undertaken on behalf of Kildare County Council through the town of Castledermot between June and December 2004. These consisted of full excavation of the route of the pipeline in advance of the commencement of work associated with the Castledermot sewerage scheme. As a result the trench was always 1.4–2m in width but extended for a length of 725m, which provided a cross-section of the medieval town. The depth of the trench was governed by the proposed pipe depth or the depth of natural subsoil. The trench line had been quite disturbed for much of its length (414m) by an early modern stone-lined drain which ran north-south and there were also fragmentary remains of the old cobbled road surface. All underlying archaeological evidence related to the post-medieval and medieval periods, although this was usually heavily truncated or extended beyond the limits of the trench. Seven distinct areas were identified within the continuous trench, which commenced at the northern end of the town.

Area 1 was situated at the northern end of the town and comprised four post-medieval pits, four medieval pits, three ditches and a linear cut. The post-medieval pits were all similar but their original function could not be ascertained. Only one of the medieval pits was clearly identified as a refuse pit; the remaining pits were shallow with a poor level of preservation. All three ditches were medieval and aligned south-east/north-west. The northern example was the most substantial. Over 55m to the south, the other two ditches ran as a parallel pair only 5m apart and were quite shallow. An east-west linear cut was probably a drainage gully.

Area 2 lay between Area 1 and the centre of the town. A total of 29 pits were identified, as well as an east-west stone foundation. The size and location of the stone foundation at the north of this area strongly suggested that it related to the northern part of the medieval town wall. Three of the pits were of post-medieval date, one of which was definitely used as a rubbish pit. The remaining pits all related to the medieval period. Where pit fills were clearly associated with the function of the pit, they indicated the disposal of industrial and domestic waste.

Area 3 covered the market square in the centre of the town and mostly consisted of large post-medieval and medieval layers. Two medieval ditch cuts were uncovered 27m apart. The northern ditch was aligned east-west, while the southern example was aligned north-east/south-west. Only a single medieval pit was found. The most substantial features were four walls at the south of this area. These comprised two large east-west walls, from which perpendicular walls could be seen in section. These walls were medieval and the northern wall was excavated. The southern wall was preserved in situ awaiting the final proposed position of the pipes. The walls (and the layers contained between them) probably represent structural foundations.

Area 4 ran from the market square south to Area 5. Post-medieval activity was very apparent, with 23 pits and a ditch. The ditch was quite shallow but wide and aligned east-west. Over half of all the post-medieval pits were filled with industrial and domestic rubbish. Nine medieval pits were found, all of which appeared to have been used as rubbish pits. A more substantial medieval ditch was aligned east-west and lay to the south of the area.

Area 5 was adjacent to the present-day convent. This trench section covered the postulated site of the gate of the medieval town wall. Five post-medieval pits, two ditches and two walls were found. The pits all had the characteristics of refuse pits. There were the remains of a stone lining inside the largest pit. Both ditches produced a post-medieval date. The largest of these was associated with the town wall and therefore was filled once it went out of use. The second ditch was less substantial, possibly a boundary ditch. Both walls in this area were medieval and lay in close proximity to one another. The southern wall was aligned east-west and the wall immediately to the north was aligned southeast/north-west. These walls were only the foundation courses in the gate complex of the southern town wall.

The Area 6 trench was situated to the east of the medieval friary, where the main road had been constructed over a medieval cemetery. The layers that cover the cemetery were mostly of post-medieval date and included two rubbish pits containing construction materials. There were four medieval pits, all of which were potential grave-cuts and some did contain highly disturbed human bone. The burials consisted of 22 skeletons in varying degrees of preservation and a number of instances of fragmentary, disarticulated human remains. The burials were quite shallow, with the exception of two, one of whose coffin partially remained. Males, females and infants were all represented, but no skeleton was complete, due to truncation by a north-south drain.

The Area 7 trench ran from the south of the cemetery to the river. A single post-medieval field wall and drain were uncovered, as well as three possible rubbish pits. At the southern end of the excavation a medieval ditch aligned east-west probably served as a property or field boundary.

Monitoring will be conducted during the pipelaying process.

Ballycurreen Industrial Estate, Kinsale Road, Cork