2008:1249 - 1249. Spring Garden Alley, Waterford, Waterford

It was intended to create a garden for the recreation of elderly people adjacent to the city wall (WA009–005(2)). Ministerial consent was obtained (C. 273) for the partial removal of a masonry wall adjoining the city wall. A length of medieval city wall extends east–west at the northern boundary of the proposed garden complex creating a property division with Nos 16–17 Lady Lane. The line of the Hiberno-Norse and medieval city wall is well documented and in this area its location is not in question.
The city wall at Spring Garden Alley extends for a length of 25m and is c. 1.5m in thickness tapering to c. 0.5m in the upper levels. The southern face of the wall is built from a mixture of stone and brick with the upper courses entirely of brick, while the lower courses are a mixture of sandstone blocks and brick. This portion of the wall was the subject of restoration by Waterford City Council in 2008 as part of the Walls of Waterford Restoration Project.
A secondary wall extending north–south effectively divided the garden complex. This wall was built of a combination of stone, brick and rubble masonry. The dividing wall was of relatively modern construction, probably 19th century, and consequently was not of any archaeological significance as it was not intrinsic to the structure of the city wall. A length of c. 2m of this wall adjoining the city wall was retained and the remainder was demolished.