2007:240 - Crosse’s Green, Cork, Cork

The site at Crosse’s Green is within the zone of archaeological potential of Cork city (CO074–122) and is located immediately east of the site of the 13th–16th-century Dominican priory of Saint Mary’s of the Isle (CO074–037), excavated in 1993. The site is on the south bank of the south river channel of the River Lee. Testing was carried out at this site in 2004 by Hilary Kelleher (under the same licence number; Excavations 2004, No. 230) prior to demolition of the buildings on site. No evidence of archaeological features was recorded. Further testing was required when the remaining buildings were demolished. This testing was carried out in August 2007. A total of seven test-trenches were excavated.
Beneath the rubble a thick layer (0.3–0.4m) of material (F4) containing disarticulated human remains was identified. Beneath this there was evidence for in situ human remains. There was no documentary or cartographic evidence for a burial-ground in this area.
In order to allow the proposed development to proceed, a full excavation of the site was necessary, and this was carried out between September and December 2007. A large part of the site was subject to full excavation, although health and safety concerns precluded excavation in the area to the east of the site, along the edge of the river. This area will be tested when sheet piling of the site is completed.
Two post-medieval walls were recorded. Both were roughly north–south in orientation and built of random rubble limestone and red sandstone, with large red sandstone slabs as footing for the walls. Beneath the walls there were post-medieval deposits containing post-medieval pottery, slate and glass. The more westerly of the two walls (F25) was the lower part of the west wall of the mill building, which had been demolished to accommodate the proposed development. The east wall of this building stood close to the river edge and the lower part of it formed the quay wall. The more easterly of the walls (F26) pre-dates the western wall of the mill. A large post-medieval stone-built drain was also identified (F5) running east–west across the site and running under the walls F25 and F26. This drain consisted of random rubble side walls with large red sandstone capstones and a cobble base. A large cut for the drain was backfilled with an orangey-brown clay. A further three earth-cut drains were also excavated (F2, F28 and F71). These drains were similarly orientated east–west and produced post-medieval finds.
There were three stone-built tanning pits recorded on this site, two of which were adjoining (F10 and F11). The adjoining pits were random rubble limestone-built with a cobbled base and a small drainage hole at the north-east corner which drained into the large drain (F5). The other tanning pit (F6) was located 3.5m to the north-west of these. This pit was also random rubble-built, though the inside of the pit was plastered. The base of this pit was a compact stony material, with evidence for a plank floor found beneath. A wall cut was visible surrounding the pit walls. The east wall of this pit was not extant. This pit may have been modified at a later date for another purpose. The area around Crosse’s Green is well documented as having been an industrial area in the 18th and 19th centuries. Tanning is known to have been undertaken in this area of the city, although there was no documentary evidence relating specifically to tanning at Crosse’s Green.
There were no medieval structural remains identified on this site. The thick layer of disarticulated human remains (F4) was excavated over most of the site. Beneath this there were a number of layers from which in situ human remains were excavated. A total of 166 skeletons or partial skeletons were excavated at this site. All the burials were roughly east–west, with some slight variations. All but one burial (B95) had the head to the west. The burials were laid in simple earth-cut graves, with the exception of one grave which was stone-lined (B129). There was evidence for the grave-cuts. There were five burials in which the head was supported by stone ear muffs (B31, B51, B54, B59, B104). This feature may indicate that these burials were medieval in date. Among the burials excavated there were 21 juveniles. All the remains will be analysed by an osteoarchaeologist.
This part of the city would have been marshland in the medieval period. Examination of the muds by a geologist has confirmed that the area was reclaimed by redepositing dredged estuarine muds on the reed marsh, as was the practice in the medieval city to the east. The uppermost layers of these reclamation clays also contained burials and, given the lack of evidence for grave-cuts, it is likely that these burials were interred shortly after the clays were laid down. The absence of humic soils around the burials suggests that they were cut in the redeposited muds.
While the burials are likely to be associated with the Dominican priory (given its proximity), it is unclear if they were located within the priory precinct.
The burials excavated in 1993 (Hurley and Sheehan 1995) were located within the church and cloister and were formal burials, most within stone-lined graves. The skeletons on this site were, in general, interred in simple earth-cut graves and may, therefore, represent the poorer members of the community.
There were relatively few finds from this site. A lead weight was recovered from one of the post-medieval ditches. There were very few finds directly associated with the burials. A metal object, possibly a knife, was found clasped in the hand of one of the skeletons (B109). Small quartz pebbles were found associated with a number of the burials (B38, B83, B85, B59, B99). A timber plank, possibly part of a boat, was recovered from the reclamation clay, although this timber was ex situ.
Reference
Hurley, M.F. and Sheehan, C.M. 1995 Excavations at the Dominican priory St Mary’s of the Isle, Cork. Cork.