2004:1760 - MULLINGAR: Blackhall Place, Westmeath

Human remains were discovered during excavations for the broadband network at Blackhall Place, Mullingar, on 27 August 2003. Work in the area was stopped and, following consultation with the relevant authorities, a programme of testing was initiated in order to establish the extent of the archaeology. Testing was carried out in August/September and comprised cleaning the upper surface of the existing road-cut broadband trench on the north side of a mini-roundabout at Blackhall Place, and the excavation of a further three trenches along the broadband route on Blackhall Street.

The asphalt and aggregate road construction layers had already been removed from the existing broadband trench. A burial layer was identified immediately east of an existing service pipe at the west end of this trench. The top of this layer was located just 175mm below the road surface and the layer extended c. 8m to the eastern end of the trench. It comprised a very compact mixed deposit of yellow/brown and grey/brown silty sand. A small dump of medieval floor tiles and some crushed human bones were noted on the upper surface of this burial layer. The discovery of human remains was not surprising, as it was known from previous and ongoing archaeological work that there are subsurface remains of an extensive burial ground in the area. The burials are almost certainly associated with the nearby Dominican priory, which was founded by the Petit family in 1237–8. The results from the three trenches opened along Blackhall Street were, for the most part, negative. A thick post-medieval/early modern deposit, frequently truncated by service cuts, was dominant along this street. Rerouting the broadband to avoid the burial layer was not a viable option, as the only alternative route passed close to the west and south sides of the Dominican church site, areas also likely to contain burials and other archaeological material. Consequently it was recommended that the known archaeological material on the existing route should be excavated prior to development. It was also recommended that the proposed broadband excavations along Blackhall Street should be kept to the minimum depth required for laying the cable ducts (four on the flat rather than two over two) in order to further reduce the potential impact on archaeology.

A total of 24 adult, juvenile and infant burials were excavated along the broadband route at Blackhall Place. Most of the burials were truncated by an old ceramic sewer pipe that extended northeast/south-west across much of the excavated area. Some of the earlier burials were truncated by later burials and pits. As a result of these disturbances, only three complete skeletons were present. A stone sarcophagus was discovered at the limit of excavation but this was not excavated. In line with the department's policy, a methodology was agreed to ensure its preservation in situ. All of the excavated skeletons were orientated east-west, indicating Christian burial, and associated finds suggest a medieval date for their interment. It can therefore be safely assumed that the burials formed part of a medieval graveyard associated with the Dominican priory. Medieval floor-tile fragments accounted for 70 of the 110 artefacts found in the burial area. Other finds included occasional medieval potsherds, corroded iron nails, clay-pipe fragments, glass fragments (including a possible stained-glass panel fragment) and a piece of lead. No further archaeological material was discovered during subsequent broadband trench excavations along Blackhall Street.

Unit 3, Howley Court, Oranmore, Co. Galway