2010:430 - THOMASTOWN, Kilkenny

Monitoring of excavation works associated with the laying of ducting for ESB Mv Cable Replacement works at Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny, was undertaken on a phased basis from 31 May to 14 July and from 9 to 12 August. The monitoring was commissioned by ESB Networks following a recommendation from Kilkenny County Council. All the works were located within the zone of archaeological potential established for Thomastown.
The initial phase of works was undertaken on the south-western area of Low Street, through the car park adjacent the bridge and in an area to the north-west of the car park (former Gutter Lane). The trenches were generally up to 400m wide, with the joint/pulling pits up to 1m wide. In addition, the excavations were generally up to 0.75m in depth but were deeper in areas where the ducting was routed under existing services. In general, layers of clayey/stony fill were encountered beneath the road surface/road formation layers. Such fills were up to 0.6m in thickness and lay upon the ‘natural’ sterile subsoil. No features, structures or deposits of archaeological potential were uncovered during the course of the works, although a total of 25 sherds of medieval and post-medieval pottery, together with a fragment of clay-pipe stem, were recovered.
The second phase of works extended from an existing substation on Low Street, through an adjacent property (Eddie Murphy’s licensed premises) to a recently installed substation to the west of Logan Street. The dimensions of these trenches were similar to those described above. In general, dark-brown silty clay soils were encountered below existing concrete and tarmac surfaces of the properties. A further ten sherds of medieval and post-medieval pottery were recovered, together with a cut-stone fragment with a curving inner edge.