2010:653 - Stradbally, Waterford

Monitoring was carried out over a period of four months in Stradbally, Co. Waterford, during upgrade works on the existing water and sewage supply system for the village. The new foul sewerage system will convey sewage through a pumping station to the site of the wastewater treatment plant on the south-eastern outskirts of the village. The works (Contract 6) involved the construction of a new pumping station and rising main near Stradbally Cove, the installation of new sewers and the replacement of existing pipes. A separate storm network was constructed to convey rainwater run-off through storm outfalls located at the bank of a stream which extends from the village downslope to discharge into the River Tay. The proposed works at the water treatment plant site, including the construction of a treated effluent outfall from the treatment plant to a point of discharge under the seabed, do not form part of Contract 6.
The first phase of the works involved the removal of topsoil from the pumping station site and thereafter all groundworks consisted of narrow trenching along public roads and the construction of manholes at certain locations along the network. The elevations rose considerably once trenching commenced on the roadside near the pumping station where excavation proceeded up a steep hill towards the village square. Trenching was also carried out along Nunnery Lane and beyond the village at the end of this lane as far as the entrance to the proposed new wastewater treatment plant site. Pipe laying was also conducted along High Street to the north-east of the square and slightly beyond the village on the main road to Kilmacthomas.
Monitoring commenced at the site of the new pumping station in a field directly opposite the gate lodge and the current entrance to Woodhouse Estate. The removal of topsoil started near the roadside and progressed from here eastwards towards the beach, where the River Tay enters the sea. The topsoil varied in depth from 0.35–0.45m and it overlay homogenous sterile orange/brown clay. A full archaeological presence was maintained for the duration of the works and no features or finds of significance were identified.
The soil profile in the village differed to that encountered on Strand Road, where in general modern road surface deposits overlay natural glacial tills. Beyond the junction with Church Lane and proceeding upslope towards the centre of the village, the road overburden overlay a thin layer of mid- to dark-brown organic sediment containing comminuted pieces of red brick. This layer reached a depth of 0.22m at the entrance gates to the rectory, where it appeared to be associated with a stone-lined culvert. Aside from the red-brick fragments no other material finds occurred in the deposit. The organic layer varied in depth from 0.11m to 0.22m and it overlay a deep layer of loose sandy clay. It did not extend as far as the Square but terminated shortly before the manhole which was excavated at the junction of High Street and the northern end of the Square.
A total archaeological presence was maintained during trenching in the Square due to the presence of a possible metalled surface when this area was tested on two occasions in 2005 by the Archaeology Company (05E0839) and in 2009 by Dave Bayley of IAC Ltd (Excavations 2009, No. 817, 05E0839 ext.). Trenching mostly followed the line of the four test-trenches excavated by IAC Ltd in 2009 and the metalled surface revealed by the monitoring archaeologist was once again encountered, except where it had been disturbed by earlier service pipes and stone drains. The layer appeared to be later than six stone culverts that were exposed in this area of the Square and, while no finds were recovered to indicate a date for the deposit, it is interpreted as representing an 18th- or 19th-century metalled road surface.
The footing of a stone wall was located almost at the brow of the hill during trenching along Nunnery Lane opposite the side entrance to Glenview House. It was located just 0.1m below the modern road surface, measured 1.15m in width and survived to a maximum height of 0.41m. It was constructed from horizontally lain shale slabs and contained a mixed earthen and rubble core. The wall was constructed on the natural bedrock, though a very thin deposit of compact clay seems to have been introduced on to the shale to create an even surface before the wall was constructed. It would appear that the wall extended northwards across the road and, while there is some surviving evidence for it in the north baulk, the soil profile here was severely disturbed through the recent insertion of an Eircom cable. The wall clearly pre-dates the construction of the present street and may form part of an earlier boundary wall in this area of the village. A layer of dark-brown organic garden soil containing frequent rootlets and burnt clay had accumulated against the west side of the wall. This was at its deepest (0.46m) where it abutted the wall and it became shallower as it continued downslope towards the main street for a length of 4.25m. This organic layer does not appear on the east side of the wall, perhaps supporting the suggestion that the wall represents a boundary for an earlier garden in this area of the village. Regrettably no finds were recovered from the garden soil to indicate a date for its accumulation.