2012:607 - ATHLONE CASTLE, Waterford

Athlone Castle, though preserving in outline the plan of the earlier medieval castle, comprises a crisp pentangular curtain wall, with a free-standing keep and two large rounded bastions facing the river, owing most to a late Georgian reconstruction. In plan, the castle consists of a pentangular curtain wall with base batter with a keep placed just west of the centre. The entrance is approached from the north by a ramp constructed after 1793. It is likely that the medieval entrance was also on the north side but its exact location is unknown. The curtain wall is thickest on the east (riverside) where it also appears to have been considerably rebuilt. Two circular bastions project from the east curtain wall and there may have been a third in the north-west angle. These may have formed part of the 13^th-century defences but they are now almost totally hidden by later masonry. The keep is decagonal and its base is concealed by a plinth. The upper storeys of the keep were removed in the 1793 works and, while the wall fabric may be medieval, all visible features date from that time.

The castle, as reconstructed, had at least eleven gun embrasures, while in addition a traversing platform emplacement was constructed in the south-east tower, overlooking the bridge. The top of this tower is very similar to a Martello tower. In addition, the lower slope of the entrance ramp to the castle was covered by musket loops and by a gun embrasure in the upper level of the north-west tower directly above. Additional musket-loops provide for the defence of the upper part of the entrance ramp and gateway. The open space within the castle contains a large hexagonal tower, most of the upper part of which dates from the reconstruction work; it is provided by loop-holed projecting structures – similar to machicolations on some of the Martello towers – to allow for musketry defence. The north-east tower, overlooking the present bridge of Athlone, built in the 1840s, has two gun-embrasures in the parapet, although the limited space here suggests that there would be room for only one gun on the gun platform. The broad parapet between the north-east and south-east towers is provided with two large, widely splayed gun-embrasures giving a field of fire over the river to the east. Just to the west of the south-east tower with its traversing gun emplacement is another gun embrasure – now blocked up – covering the open-space below. The platform of the north-west tower, approached through a barrel-vaulted passageway, has four gun-embrasures, one of which covers the entrance ramp below. The remaining embrasures facing the north and west have each been blocked by a later wall provided with musket-loops. The western side of the castle is at a considerably higher level than the rest. At this higher level are two more gun-embrasures – now blocked up – in the high parapet wall.

A visitor centre was opened at the castle in 1991. However, in more recent years this was largely considered to be outdated and was deemed unsafe from a fire safety perspective. Consequently, a visitor centre refurbishment project was instigated. Pre-planning consultations with a number of organisations, including the OPW and National Monuments Service, required that the overall proposals be subject to both non-intrusive architectural and archaeological heritage impact assessments. The Architectural Conservation/Heritage assessment was undertaken by Alasdair Lindsay and the Archaeological Heritage assessment was undertaken by Byrne Mullins & Associates. Following further consultation with the National Monuments Service, it was agreed that all ground reduction works required of the development, including general removal of existing internal and external surfaces, foundation and service trench excavations, be monitored. In addition, it was agreed that two test trenches be excavated by hand within the courtyard and that protective measures be put in place in order to protect the base plinth of the keep from damage by machinery.

Two subsurface features of archaeological interest were uncovered during the course of the works. A service trench along the riverside edge of the courtyard revealed a wall face truncated by modern disturbance. It is suggested that this wall may represent the basal foundations of a structure constructed in the 16th/early 17th century, when the castle was used as the official residence of the ‘Presidents of Connaught’, whose apartments were in the east wing overlooking the river. Furthermore, the truncated remains of a wall was uncovered running north from the existing entrance gate and across the existing access ramps. This may be associated with a former entrance feature, illustrated on later 17^th-century maps of the town.

A number of artefacts, mostly pottery sherds and fragments of clay pipes of 19th/20^th-century date, were recovered, particularly within the courtyard area of the site.

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