2006:2027 - WOODSTOWN/KILLOTERAN, Waterford

During the archaeological testing prior to the construction of the N25 Waterford city bypass in 2003, an extensive enclosed early medieval/Viking settlement was discovered at Woodstown, Co. Waterford.

As part of the overall Woodstown Supplementary Research Project, the Underwater Archaeology Unit (UAU) and the National Monuments Service, Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, carried out an underwater archaeological assessment, incorporating intertidal and underwater diver survey, of the River Suir adjacent to the Woodstown site.

The objective of the survey was to identify possible archaeological remains on the shoreline and underwater in the River Suir immediate to the Woodstown site itself, as well as surveying the adjacent shoreline and underwater potential on the Kilkenny side of the River Suir. To obtain as much information as possible, it was decided to undertake the survey as a combined intertidal-wading survey at low tide first, followed by a dive survey.

The intertidal survey was carried out over two days at lowest tides to cover as much of the area as possible in the best possible conditions. During the survey the full length of the mudflats along Killoteran and Woodstown were walked and waded as well as the corresponding parts on the opposite Kilkenny side of the river.

No archaeological features or objects were discovered on the Kilkenny side. The only features noted consisted of several narrow linear stone walkways, which extended from the reeds across the mudflats into the river, below the low-water mark. These walkways are constructed by local fishermen to provide solid footings for launching their fishing boats, which are moored by the riverbank within the reeds.

The intertidal survey on the Waterford side of the river covered the full length from the rock outcrop at Killoteran to Giant’s Rock, a large natural boulder east of Woodstown. The mudflats at Killoteran consisted of soft silty clay, which varied substantially in depth. Two gravel areas were noted along the Killoteran shoreline, consisting of small- to medium-sized sub-angular stones. These areas provide solid surfaces. Several timbers were encountered c. 10m to the east of the largest of the gravel areas. The timbers comprised a large horizontal roundwood and at least three small upright stakes. The upright stakes varied in diameter between 50mm and 120mm and showed evidence of eroded points. No structural relationship or context between the timbers could be established on the surface. Local knowledge recounts no structure existing in this location in recent times. To establish whether the feature forms part of the early medieval/Viking settlement activity at Woodstown and Killoteran, four of the timbers were sampled and have been sent to Queen’s University Belfast for dating. No other features or archaeological objects were found at Killoteran.

The outlet of the Killoteran stream presented differing ground conditions. While the central area was relatively solid, due to a high gravel content, the immediate surrounding area consisted of very soft and deep silt deposits. A high concentration of modern debris in this area was also noted.

Most of the shoreline at Woodstown itself consisted of sterile silty clay. Towards the northern half of the townland, occasional patches of bedrock were noted in the intertidal zone. However, no archaeological remains were found associated with it and no archaeological features or objects were encountered at Woodstown itself.

The subsequent dive survey was carried out over five days in August 2006. The dive survey was conducted using two separate sources of information. One was the result of a geophysical survey carried out in the river in 2004 by the UAU. This consisted of a magnetometer and side-scan survey, during which more than 60 anomalies were identified. Unfortunately none of the geophysical results indicated a clear wreck or other potential archaeological site. It was therefore decided to dive areas where clusters of geophysical anomalies were observed. This aimed to identify as many anomalies as possible during the short timeframe of the survey.

The second source of information for the dive survey was the timber structure, which was discovered during the intertidal survey. Since this feature was the only positively identified archaeology at that point, it was decided to carry out a dive survey in the vicinity of the timbers to establish if the possible structure extended further into the river. Despite the silty riverbed and poor visibility, one more upright timber was found c. 15m into the river in line with the wooden uprights recorded on the foreshore. This indicates that the timbers on the foreshore and the upright timber in the river could be associated and thus part of a larger structure that extends into the River Suir itself.

Following the investigation of the timber area, the clusters of geophysical results within the river proper were subjected to a dive survey. The bottom of the riverbed proved to be compact and eroded due to constant exposure to the strong tidal flows in the river. No silt deposits were observed that could provide holding ground for archaeological material. The only features encountered were wedged tree logs with debris clustered around them.

As the central part of the river provides little chance for archaeological material to survive, it was decided to focus the dive survey on the shoreline. Starting at the Killoteran Stream, the dive survey area was extended downstream along the Woodstown site. Though a comprehensive search of the areas was carried out, no further archaeological material or deposits were identified.

Although no evidence of exposed underwater archaeological remains was recorded at Woodstown during the survey, the nature, extent and depth of the silts, primarily in the intertidal but also in the immediate sub-tidal zones of the river, do hold a high potential to retain buried archaeology.

A potential wooden structure was discovered during the intertidal survey in the foreshore at Killoteran. The dive survey, although only identifying one timber associated with the intertidal timber feature, also confirmed the potential for archaeological material to be present along the river course.

Department of Environment, Heritage & Local Government, Floor 2, 4–5 Harcourt Road, Dublin 2