2005:1583 - RIVER BROSNA, Mullingar, Westmeath

Riverine assessment took place of a 150m stretch of the River Brosna, prior to the proposed private development of a 1.089ha section of Mullingar town centre north-west of the existing County Council Buildings and Old County Gaol Site. Construction of a gaol at this site dates to 1787, although the majority of the existing gaol was constructed between 1824 and 1828. The gaol site was recently excavated by Colum Hardy (see No. 1581, Excavations 2005). The river assessment area is also located next to the possible site of a motte (erected by William le Petit c. 1192), depicted on Richard’s 1691 map with adjoining bailey, and the possible site of the River Brosna mill. Based on Groves’ survey of 1641, and also depicted on Richard’s map (1691), the mill was located on an island formed by the River Brosna, to the south of the gaol site. However, no traces of the motte and bailey structure or mill buildings were visible.

It is proposed to construct a 20m-wide roadway, providing access to the development, crossing the River Brosna immediately south of the gaol site. Systematic visual inspection and magnetometer survey of the riverbed and attendant bank structures was undertaken along the entire stretch of the river at this location. A number of post-medieval artefacts were recovered. These artefacts were contemporary with the gaol site, with a date range from between the mid-1700s to the early 1900s. In addition, a number of features of archaeological/architectural interest were recorded. These comprise: Site 1, 19th-century single-arched bridge structure, possible drains and adjoining millrace; Site 2, 19th-century single-arched bridge structure; Site 3, 20th-century river walling/revetment; Site 4, masonry boundary wall of gaol site; and Site 5, 19th-century railway bridge structure. No further archaeologically significant material was observed as part of the river assessment.