2004:1015 - KILMALLOCK: Sarsfield Street, Limerick

A test excavation of a proposed development site at Sarsfield Street, Kilmallock, was undertaken. The site is in the centre of the medieval town at the junction of Sarsfield Street and Emmet Street. It is roughly rectangular, with an 11m frontage on Sarsfield Street and a length of 22m fronting onto the northern end of Emmet Street. Prior to demolition, a modern single-storey flat-roofed building occupied the northern portion of the site and fronted onto Sarsfield Street. A concrete yard was located to the rear of the building and a high concrete wall formed the eastern boundary of the site with Emmet Street. The development consists of the construction of a three-storey building at Sarsfield Street that will comprise a retail outlet, storage area and three apartments.

Five test-trenches were excavated within the development area. Numerous potential archaeological features were uncovered throughout the site. The lack of any depth of stratigraphy was notable over the northern two-thirds of the development area and the features uncovered in this area largely consisted of pits and linear trenches cutting natural boulder clay. A number of walls and in situ deposits were uncovered, however, at the south end of the site, where the stratigraphy appeared to be deeper. The recovery of medieval pottery sherds from several test-trenches indicated that some of the features uncovered dated to the medieval period. Post-medieval finds such as clay-pipe stems were also recovered and it is possible that some activity on the site dated to this period.

The potential significance of the archaeology on the site was augmented by its prime location in the centre of the original medieval town and its position on the street front. The results of the test excavation and the level of archaeological deposits and walls on the site meant that the features uncovered would be directly impacted on by the construction of the proposed building. A full archaeological excavation was subsequently carried out.

Excavation at the north end of the site revealed a number of irregular-shaped pits filled with stone, animal bone, medieval pottery and clay-pipe stems. No evidence for houses or any stone structures were uncovered fronting directly onto Sarsfield Street. Excavation at the centre of the site revealed a number of deep pits, probably dating to the medieval period. These were filled with highly organic material such as wood and straw and contained finds of bone and leather. Medieval pottery was also recovered from these features. One example was wood-lined and possibly represented a small cistern-like feature. The partial remains of a possible stone house were uncovered towards the east side of the site. The structure consisted of the remains of a wall foundation built within a large rectangular cut. The north and east side of this feature were largely removed by a modern concrete beam and post-medieval pits. A number of small stake-holes were located at the base of the cut.

Excavation at the rear of the site indicated that several phases of activity were present. The earliest features excavated in this area consisted of several large pits, measuring 1–2m in depth by 2–3m in length. These waterlogged pits were filled with layers of highly organic material (80%) which contained medieval pottery sherds, leather, wood, straw and animal bone. A roughly cobbled laneway (orientated east-west) was located at the south end of the site adjacent to and extending under the southern site boundary. An earlier metalled surface was uncovered under the lane, which may suggest that repairs or upgrading was carried out. The lane was bounded to the north by a substantial medieval wall foundation which cut the northern side of the latter. A number of less substantial walls extended from this wall in a north-south direction and may represent the remains of medieval houses or outbuildings. A significant amount of modern disturbance was present on the site, including a series of drains, manholes and a large cut to facilitate a modern diesel tank. It is likely that the tank and associated cut destroyed evidence for a possible house fronting on to Emmet Street. An initial examination of the pottery recovered from the site suggests a 12th- to 14th-century date for the main occupation of the site, with later post-medieval activity at the northern end.

15 Willowfields, Ladysbridge, Castlemartyr, Co. Cork