2004:0833 - KILDARE: St Brigid's Cathedral Carpark, Kildare

An assessment was undertaken in May 2004 for a proposed carpark development on a site adjacent to Market Square and up against the medieval boundary wall enclosing St Brigid’s Cathedral, in Kildare town. Work was carried out at the request of the developer, Kildare County Council. The site is within the area of archaeological potential for Kildare town. A number of investigations had previously taken place near the site, where significant archaeological levels were noted (notably by Niall Brady, Excavations 1999, No. 314, 98E0376; by Richard O’Brien, Excavations 1999, No. 317, 98E0239, and by Hilary Opie Excavations 2000, No. 387, 98E0574).

This assessment consisted of four test-trenches either side of a post-medieval limestone wall subdividing the site into northern and southern areas. Excavation revealed a number of features in the northern part of the site, including medieval pits and linear features, with modern and early disturbance revealed in the limited investigation of the southern section of this development.

Three trenches were excavated in the northern area of the site (Area 1). These revealed post-medieval and later features, including an early modern field wall, a layer of post-medieval coarse stone metalling with residual medieval pottery and a layer of gravel with animal bone, sealing earlier post-medieval and undated (post-medieval or medieval) pit features. A medieval linear ditch and an undated but possibly contemporary perpendicular ditch were also exposed. Topsoil increased in depth to the east, with two medieval features at a depth of 1.4m below ground level, one possibly representing a well and the other rich in animal bone.

Only one test-trench was possible in the southern area, adjacent to Market Square, due to various obstructions. Most of this trench was taken up by a 19th-century drainage ditch, which was disturbed to the east by a manhole and associated drain. Although nothing of archaeological significance was revealed in this trench, there remains the possibility of preserved archaeological remains in this area.

The depth below design level of the archaeological features revealed allowed for the development to proceed without archaeological excavation. The development will also involve the partial demolition of a limestone wall, possibly dating to the 18th century. It was recommended that the development should go ahead but that monitoring should take place and there should be a full record made of the limestone wall before any demolition.