2012:295 - CROMWELL’S FORT’, RINMORE, Galway

‘Cromwell’s Fort’ is described by Gosling (1993, 166, No. 944) as comprising ‘a quadrangular earthen artillery fort (L/Wth: 30m) with salient angle-bastions at each corner which is surrounded by an irregular fosse. The entrance, via a causeway, was mid-point along E side. The NE and SE bastions survive intact but NW is destroyed by a 17^th century butt and whole SW part of fort has been eroded by sea. Built in 1643’.  The 1^st edition OS Map of 1838 depicts only three bastions, by which time the south-west area of the fort had been eroded by the sea and a lime-kiln had been built into the north-east bastion, while an OS map of 1895 illustrates that the western area of the fort had been levelled between 1866 and 1895 and a rifle butt constructed in the area of the north-west bastion, associated with a rifle range to the west. Walsh (1988, 124-5) includes a description of the fort at this time, as follows: ‘The north-east and south-east bastions survive largely intact and part of the outline of the north-west bastion can be traced beside the old [rifle] butt.  The interior surface of the bastions is slightly higher than that in the fort and the ground outside. The banks are between 1m and 1.5m high and the surrounding fosse is about 1m deep. The fosse has been partially filled in on the north-east and other clearance (boulders etc.) has been deposited in it along the east side of the fort. The north-east bastion is the better preserved of the two and affords the best cross-sections. The bottom of the fosse on the west is some 3m below the top of the bank which is 1m above the bastion’s interior. The outline of the disused kiln is indicated by a depression in the south wall of the bastion. The east side of the fort is best preserved to the north of the entrance. The south-east bastion shows signs of considerable interference. Parts of its banks appear to have been thrown down, holes dug into them, and a pit has been dug into the bastion interior. The bottom of the fosse to the south is 2.6m below the top of the bank which is 1.2m above the bastion interior. The whole south-west of the fort has been eroded away by the sea leaving exposed sections between 1 and 3m in height. The north-west bastion was levelled in course of the construction of the butt in the nineteenth century. The west face of the butt is revetted in stone which abuts a gate and field wall at the north-west. A target trench runs along the east side of the butt. The interior of the fort shows some signs of levelling but the depth or extent of this interference cannot be estimated’. Walsh also notes that a ‘navigational beacon which stands in the interior of the fort was erected in 1969’ and that this is enclosed by a wire fence, and that three pitch-and-putt tee boxes had also been constructed in the interior.

In general, the interior of the fort is under rough grass except for those areas adjacent the tee-boxes. The fosse and earthworks at the north-west are largely overgrown with brambles, as is the area of the north-eastern and south-eastern bastions, while the fosse along the northern extent is covered in high grass.

During the week of 15-19 October 2012, contact was made by the National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht with the Area Engineering Officer (AEO) for Dún Uí Mhaoiliosa (‘Renmore Barracks') in relation to an on-going Fencing Contract along the Western Boundary of Department of Defence Lands at Dún Uí Mhaoiliosa. In response to concerns expressed by Mr Gearóid Conroy, National Monuments Service, that the fencing contractors had infringed on ‘Cromwell’s Fort’, the AEO temporarily halted the fencing contract pending receipt of an Archaeological Impact Assessment Report. In addition, the exposed surface areas of the disturbed areas were covered with PVC sheeting.

Byrne Mullins & Associates were subsequently contracted to undertake the requested Archaeological Impact Assessment. Following initial consultation with Mr Conroy, and Ms Pauline Gleeson, Senior Archaeologist, NMS, a methodology for the preparation of the archaeological assessment was formulated and physical investigations were undertaken on 29 and 30 November 2012. It was also subsequently agreed that works associated with the removal of tee boxes associated with the adjacent Pitch-and-Putt Course and located within ‘Cromwell’s Fort’ would also be included in the Assessment Report.

Intrusive investigations indicted that three separate areas were subject to machine disturbances associated with the Fencing Project. Such disturbance varied from partial removal of the existing surface sod, partial removal of earthwork banks associated with Cromwell’s Fort, partial removal of an earthwork bank associated with a 19^th-century rifle range butt, the original construction of which had removed the north-west bastion of the fort, the spreading of associated earthwork bank constriction material across areas of the interior of the fort and the filling of two fosses, one associated with Cromwell’s Fort and the other associated with a drainage ditch associated with the 19^th-century butt. No subsurface features of archaeological interest/potential were noted as a result of a surface reconnaissance survey of the fort or by the intrusive investigations. Similarly, nothing of archaeological interest/potential was noted by inspections of the suspended works associated with the removal of tee-boxes within the confines of the fort.

A number of fencing options were subsequently discussed by the Archaeological Impact Assessment, together with various options with respect to protective works associated with the remaining extant elements of the monument and with reinstatement works relating to the damaged areas. These have been submitted to the National Monuments Service for consideration and agreement.

References:

Gosling, P. 1993. Archaeological Inventory of County Galway. Vol. 1: West Galway. Stationery Office, Dublin.

Walsh, P. 1988. ‘Rinmore Fort: A Seventeenth Century Fortification at Renmore, Galway’. JGAHS, 41, pp. 120-25.

Byrne Mullins & Associates, 7 Cnoc Na Greine Square, Kilcullen, Co. Kildare