2011:603 - ATHLONE: Fr Matthew Hall, Grace Road, Westmeath

Monitoring of ground reduction works associated with the development of the Athlone Arts Gallery continued during 2011. This included works associated with trench excavations within the Fr Matthew Hall structure with respect to the underpinning of existing external walls, lift shaft and associated riverside boardwalk. Ground reduction works to the north of the building for the provision of a new Gallery (No. 2), link corridor and service yards uncovered the remains of a substantial wall foundation protruding southwards from the edge of Grace Road into the site. It should be noted that the site is located in ground reclaimed from the River Shannon in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Following an ‘on-site’ consultation meeting with Laura Claffey, National Monuments Service, it was agreed that a further programme of testing be undertaken to determine the nature and extent of the masonry remains within the northern extension area of the development site. Such testing was carried out from 30 May to 1 June under an extension to the existing licence.

The primary aim of the testing programme was to determine the nature and extent of the subsurface masonry remains uncovered in the area of the northern extension to the site (i.e. Gallery 2 and service yard area). The testing uncovered the remains of a wall, the southern section of which comprised a large, bay-like feature with an external batter and a basal thickness of 3.5m. The northern return to this ‘bay’ linked into a wall running north–south almost parallel with the existing riverbank. This wall had a vertical external face and was slightly in excess of 1.5m thick. The basal course of the walls incorporated an out-step at a depth of 4.7m below the pavement level of Grace Road. In addition, limited investigations of the internal faces, which, except for the ‘bay feature’, extended under the pavement of Grace Road, determined that the inner faces were lined with layers of impermeable puddle-clay/river-marl.

No dating information relating to the remains was recovered. This is largely due to the fact that the outer face of the remains formed an edge to the river and that any associated artefacts would be located inside the remains—i.e. largely outside the site boundary and under Grace Road.

Cartographic research indicates that the wall remains may represent a riverside wall feature, which is marked on Thomas Sherrard’s map of 1784 as being above the words ‘Barrack Slip’. There are no indications of the feature on any earlier or later maps of the area, although Murtagh (Historic Towns Atlas No. 6: Athlone (1994), 13) notes that the Barrack Slip was closed in 1850, presumably to allow for the construction of Grace Road in 1853. Consequently, based on the cartographic evidence alone, it appears that the feature is of at least 18th-century date. In that regard, it is noted that a new military barracks was constructed amid the ruins of west Athlone c. 1700. This initially comprised limestone quarters for infantry and cavalry, together with stables and a riding house, but was considerably extended and enlarged towards the end of the century. It is possible that the Barrack Slip, together with a riverside wall, were constructed during this period.

The upper exposed sections of the wall remains varied in depth below original ground level owing to later truncation, and were all well below the required levels of services and ground beams associated with the construction of the new gallery extension. There was potential, however, for the wall remains to be substantially damaged by the proposed piling layout. Consequently, a revised piling layout, which included for the boring through of the wall remains, was agreed with the National Monuments Service. In addition, it was further agreed that all future works, including works associated with piling etc., would be subject to Ministerial Consent. Such consent was subsequently granted in August 2011, following which works recommenced on this section of the site. To date, no further features of archaeological interest have been uncovered.

Works associated with the project are expected to be completed by summer 2012.