2008:213 - St Anne’s, Shandon, Cork, Cork

The proposed development site is located within the zone of archaeological potential for St Anne’s Church and graveyard, Shandon. Built in 1722, St Anne’s is situated on the site of an earlier 14th-century church, St Mary’s, which was demolished during the siege of 1690. Four test-trenches were excavated in advance of the construction of a parking area adjacent to St Anne’s Church in 2007 (Excavations 2007, No. 247). No features or finds of archaeological significance were noted.
Monitoring of the site followed in spring 2008. In general the topsoil was removed to a depth of 0.2m across the development site. However, at the northern end, adjacent to the existing entrance, it was necessary to excavate to 0.6m to accommodate a ramp and to compensate for the difference in ground level outside the graveyard. This part of the graveyard had been considerably disturbed by the insertion of a cast-iron water pipe and the foundations for the modern gate piers at the entrance. The tops of three headstones were exposed at the southern end of the site upon removal of 0.2m of topsoil. A fourth, badly damaged, headstone was found beneath the concrete foundations of the gate piers. All were retained in situ and protected within the new development. The entrance design was modified to accommodate the protection of the fourth headstone. The ground level in this part of the graveyard has changed considerably in the recent past and, based on photographic evidence from the 1960s, there were a large number of visible monuments situated here.
A significant amount of disarticulated bone was recovered in the topsoil; presumably this resulted from the disturbance of human burials during the construction of the gate piers and the installation of services to the church. The partial remains of two individuals were noted in the northern area of the site. A subsequent excavation revealed the remains of a further four individuals within the depths required for the ramp. The remains of a seventh individual were retained in situ.
The fragmentary remains of Burial 1 measured 1.17m in length and were orientated east–west. This area of the site had been disturbed by the water pipe and as a result the lower limbs were removed. The skull was also very badly damaged. Four nails were recovered associated with the skeleton.
The fragmentary remains of Burial 2, comprising skull, vertebrae, two rib fragments and the left pelvis, were exposed at a depth of 0.37m and were oriented east–west. The concrete foundation for the gate piers had significantly damaged the remains and resulted in the removal of the lower limbs. There was a large amount of disarticulated bones in close proximity to this burial.
The lower limbs and feet were all that remained of Burial 3. The remains were exposed at a depth of 0.56m. The remains of a coffin handle and some wood fragments were found to the south of the feet. The right and left leg measured 0.19m and 0.17m respectively. A number of disarticulated skulls were located to the east of the remains.
The partial remains of a juvenile skeleton, Burial 4, were exposed beneath Burial 1. The remains were quite fragmentary. The majority of the right side was missing and the skull was heavily damaged. The remains measured 1.19m. They were exposed at a depth of 0.45m and were 0.6m from the northern boundary wall of the graveyard. Some nails and a coffin handle were located near the remains.
The partial remains of Burial 5 were located to the west of Burials 1 and 4 and were exposed at a depth of 0.55m. The remains comprised the mandible and the left humerus, radius and ulna, left clavicle and scapula, fragmentary vertebrae and ribs and a single metacarpal and phalanges.
The left scapula, ribs and the remains of some vertebrae were all that remained of Burial 6. It was exposed at 0.59m and was orientated east–west. A large amount of disarticulated bone was found directly above this burial.
The remains of a seventh individual were partially revealed. These were protected and retained in situ within the development.