2014:437 - Moore Archaeological and Environmental Services Ltd. Corporate House, Ballybrit, Business Park, Ballybrit, Galway., Kilkenny

Moore Group carried out a programme of archaeological monitoring along Horse Barrack Lane, Kilkenny City on behalf of Bord Gais Networks within the historic town of Kilkenny (RMP KK019-026) and in close proximity to a number of recorded monuments including two 16/17th century houses (RMP KK019-026091 & 026092) and 60m from a Religious House-Franciscan Friars (RMP KK019-026101. The works involved the installation of a 90mm gas main along Horse Barrack Lane within the St. Francis Abbey Brewery complex, Kilkenny. The route follows an existing road to the rear of the Watergate theatre. The open cut trench measured 110m long by 0.7m wide. The depth did not exceed 1.3m. The groundwork’s were carried out by a mechanical digger (JCB) using a toothless bucket.
From north to south the installation of the 90mm gas line extended from an existing gas pumping station to the rear of a building north of the Watergate Theatre. From this point it crossed a landscaped green space and continued across the road and ran the length of the lane along the eastern side of the carriageway. The trench typically measured 750-800mm wide at the top and 300mm wide at the base and a depth of 800mm.
At the northern terminal excavation in the grassy area exposed the foundations of a wall 0.6m wide at a depth of 670mm. The wall was orientated NNE/SSW and was built of limestone rubble bonded with lime mortar (ITM cords 650425/656293) (Figure 12, Plate 2). On exposure the wall was photographed, covered with plastic sheeting and retained in situ. The wall roughly corresponds with a structure and boundary wall featured on the Second edition 25” OS map. The development of the lane post 1920’s would have removed this building and wall. The stratigraphy in this grassy area consisted of imported top soil.
East of the landscaped area the trench crossed the carriageway passing a water chamber and a number of services. Running along the eastern edge of the road the stratigraphy consisted of tarmac over reinforced concrete 300mm thick overlying builders rubble and gravel and sand. Immediately to the west of the gas trench was a modern storm drain 1 wide and installed at a depth of 3m below the surface. The installation of this drain would have involved considerable ground disturbance removing much of the original ground.
Continuing south along the lane, the exposed ground was all modern or sterile to a point opposite the rear of 41 Parliament Street (ITM Coords 650473/656201) when a rubble and brick foundation and cobbles were exposed. The foundation was associated with a building associated with the brewery. The cobbles were found at a depth of 750mm below the existing surface and were exposed for a length of 2.9m. The cobbles and wall foundation were retained in situ. The only finds retrieved were modern items including cast iron pipe fragments, fragments of red brick and occasional shards of 19th century tableware.
Two coarse limestone and brick foundations were also observed at the northern limit of the pipeline at a depth of 750mm and 400mm below the modern ground level. This wall foundation coincides with a building associated with the brewery and depicted on the 20th century 2nd edition map. It measured 400mm in thickness and contained red brick within the core. A small section of this foundation was removed to facilitate pipelaying. No Finds were recovered from the trench.

Moore Archaeological and Environmental Services Ltd. Corporate House, Ballybrit, Business Park, Ballybrit, Galway.