2012:153 - RAPHOE: St Eunan’s Cathedral, Donegal

Monitoring of groundworks was undertaken from 20–22 April 2011, on behalf of the Dean of Raphoe and the Select Vestry and Chapter of Raphoe Cathedral, in relation to works associated with proposed extensions to St Eunan’s Cathedral, Raphoe, Lifford, Co. Donegal.

The proposed development of the site will consist of work to a Protected Structure and includes the construction of an extension comprising an accessible toilet and small store, the removal of the existing vestry partition to open up the Consistory Court, the construction of a new extension to house the relocated vestry (Chapter Room), a toilet and boiler room, and the undertaking of various internal alterations.

Prior to the commencement of groundworks the area of proposed invasive groundworks consisted of an area of churchyard c. 35m (north-north-west/south-south-east) x 5.5m. This area primarily comprised a grassed bank which slopes down from the graveyard towards the Cathedral within the area of the proposed toilet and store extension and a small concreted area providing access to the existing boiler room.

However, only the works associated with the proposed toilet and store extension and insertion of an associated foul pipe were undertaken during this phase of works.

Removal of the overlying topsoil within the area of the proposed new toilet and store extension revealed a layer of material associated with the construction of the grassed bank which slopes down from the graveyard towards the Cathedral at a depth of c. 0.15m. This layer was c. 0.8m deep and consisted of a mid-brown sandy clay which contained large quantities of medium and large stones. Removal of this layer revealed undisturbed natural subsoil at a depth of c. 0.95m.

Siteworks continued with the excavation of a trench for the foul pipe associated with the new toilet and store extension, through the portion of graveyard adjacent to the southern side of the Cathedral. The proposed line of the trench was chosen to minimise the likelihood of disturbing existing graves following examination of the church records for the graveyard. The pipe trench was c. 0.5m wide and excavated to a depth of c. 1.2m below the existing ground surface. The material removed during the excavation of the pipe trench generally comprised a layer of topsoil overlying a 0.5–0.8m deep layer of a mid-brown sandy clay which contained large quantities of medium and large stones. This layer directly overlay undisturbed natural subsoil at a depth of c. 0.6–0.95m. Two portions of stone rubble foundations were noted within the sides of the pipe trench and appear to represent part of the foundations of the previously demolished north transept of the originally cruciform Cathedral. However, due to the depth of the pipe trench and concerns relating to safety, it was not possible to undertake a full record of these remains. No portion of these probable foundations of the transept was disturbed during the current phase of works, with the line of the pipe trench amended to respect the line of the foundations.

All material removed during this phase of works was retained within the boundaries of the development site.

No archaeological remains were identified during monitoring works at the site, in addition to the probable foundations of the north transept of the originally cruciform Cathedral referred to above.

Editor’s note: Although excavated during 2011, the report on this site arrived too late for inclusion in the bulletin of that year.