2015:038 - ATHLONE: Athlone South, Bigmeadow & Aghacocara, Westmeath

A programme of archaeological monitoring for the Westmeath County Council Water Conservation – Mains Rehabilitation Works took place in Athlone Town between March 2014 and July 2015. The works consist of pipe installation and associated services within and outside the zone of notification for the historic town of Athlone (RMP WM 029-042) on both side of the River Shannon.The majority of the works within the historic were carried out using open cut trenches. In many instances the line of the new pipe followed the path of old service cuts and culverts thus limiting the impact on undisturbed ground. A number of significant features however were identified including the site of the North Gate, Connaught Gate and defensive walls on Grace Road. Elsewhere a number of foundations and a cobble spread were recorded before being partially removed to allow installation work. The following summarises archaeological features found on the various streets.

Abbey Road
A stray human bone fragment wasretrieved from fill at (ITM E603843 N741768) east of the Franciscan Friary (RMP WM029-042001) on Abbey Road. Previous site investigations had exposed re-deposited, disarticulated human remains at his location. The three disarticulated fragments were found 350mm below the existing surface under the road base in a deposit of dark sandy clay with frequent stone and occasional brick. It would appear that the few disarticulated remains represent the careless deposition of material from either of the two adjoining graveyards.

A rubble dump was noted near along the southern side of the carriageway between the old workhouse and the rear entrance to the Radisson Hotel. The dump measured 2.5m at a depth of 1.2m. These stones were not bonded and were found in association with a tree root (ITM E603879 N741724). The surrounding material was a compact grey brown clay with some charcoal fleck.

North Gate Street
Groundworks for the pipeline exposed the medieval foundations for Athlone’s North Gate (WM029-042063) to the north of entrance to Radisson Hotel and opposite No 8 North Gate Street corner of Lucas Lane (ITM E603931 N741666).

The stone foundations were found during trenching along the west side of the carriageway. Either side of the trench previous site investigation works had noted existing services including a gas pipe along the eastern carrigeway, a cast iron main along the middle of the western carriageway and a double duct nearer the kerbside. To avoid impacts on the masonry it was agreed to extend the width of the trench to the west, the extent of the eventual cutting measured 9.5m NNW-SSE by 3.5m wide. Following discussions with the National Monuments Service it was agreed to manually expose and undertake a drawn survey of the foundations.

Excavation exposed a number of walls (F1&F5) along the edge of the road interpreted as the foundations of the western part of the arch for the north gate (F1) with a tied in section of the town wall on its west facing side (F2). Other walls (F3, F4 & F5) represented ancillary buildings that abutted the earlier foundations.  The following describes the individual foundations:

FI the foundation for the arch measured 7m in length and was built with roughly hewn limestone with a rubble core bonded with a yellow grey mortar (see following images and figure). The depth of the foundation was only visible to the west of the cutting where a 2.5m section was exposed. The depth (not bottomed out for safety reasons) measured 1.47m and the face was of rough appearance with random courses of large unhewn blocks averaging 400mm by 250mm.

The width of F1 could not be exactly determined as the eastern portion of the wall had been previously damaged by the installation of old services including a cast iron water main and double eircom ducts. These pipes had cut a 1.3m wide by 1.3m deep channel through the wall. Both services were laid on the rubble core. At a minimum the width measured 1.7m.

F2 interpreted as the remains of the town wall consisted of an E/W orientated foundation tied in to F1 at a 90° angle. This feature was only exposed for a length of 80cm in length and measured 1.9m wide. It was located approximately 2m south of the north west corner of the arch F1. The face to the north was relatively fair and had a least three courses and a depth of 60cm, to the south the face was rougher and had a single course of roughly hewn limestone on a un-mortared rubble base. From historic mapping (Goubets map 1691) this wall would have continued to a demi bastion on the river side.

F3 was the partially exposed remains of a wall connected to F1 to the north. Initially it was thought to be part of F1, but had larger elements and a more solid, whiter mortar. It is likely that F3 was part of a building abutting the wall. It measured 2.6m north south by at least a meter thick.

F4 and F5 were only exposed in plan, and were found abutting F2 to the south and west of F1. Both features had been previously disturbed by pipework. F4 was a triangular wedge of stone 1m in width. F5 was a poorly constructed jumble of angular limestone, possibly dumped to provide a solid base during construction works for the nearby Athlone Woollen Factory built in 1859.

Following discussions with the contractors and the National Monument Service it was agreed that the new water main could follow the previously excavated trench between the old cast main and the double ducts. This ensured that the exposed foundations could be preserved in situ without additional impacts. The site was subsequently covered with geo-textile, the pipe laid and backfilled with aggregate.

Athlone’s North Gate is well documented, it was built prior to 1578 and overlooked a small bridge to the north. The gate features on the 1st edition OS map and was also illustrated on two nineteenth century engravings by George Petrie c.1820 and by an unknown artist in 1845.

Based on the illustrations the gate comprised a crenelated two storey tower over a single central segmental arch the width of a cart. There was a panel over the gate with a number of window opes. Also notable is the town wall to its west and adjacent buildings. The gate was demolished in late 1840’s. This feature is noted as Site 15 in the Athlone Town Walls & Defences Conservation Plan – Oxford Archaeology, 2005, 54).

Based on the investigations described above it would appear that a square foundation was infilled prior to the gate being built.

Lucas Lane
Two wall foundations F6 and F7were exposed on Lucas Lane in the vicinity of the town walls as featured on the 25” OS map. F6, (ITM E604007 N741709) the earlier of the two, is located north of an upstanding section of a Cromwellian era bastion (WM029-042068) that was the site of a beach during the Williamite siege in 1691. The foundation F6 was constructed with unworked boulders bonded with a grey-white, coarse lime mortar and ran perpendicular to the trench (NW/SE). It measured 1.2m wide and was exposed to a depth of 0.1m. The wall had been previously impacted by a drain. The wall was left in situ and the pipe laid over it.

F7, the later wall was found in sections to both the SW and NE of F6. It was first noted on the south facing section over a length of 1.2m where it abutted F6. . It was built with roughly hewn rectangular limestone blocks measuring approximately 0.3m in length by 0.15m in depth, formed into courses that were 0.15m high, with a rubble core. The stones were bonded with a grey-white lime mortar with frequent gravel inclusions. West of F6, F7 disappeared for a 5m stretch before reappearing along the southern edge of the trench. From this point it ran parallel to the cut for a distance of 6m, where it angled northwards cutting acutely across the trench over 7m. The wall at this point was 0.4m wide and identified to a maximum depth of 1.2m In order to minimize direct impacts on the masonry, it was agreed with the National Monuments Service to divert the trench to the south. This realignment was carried out, however it was found necessary to hand excavate three shallow trenches N/S across the F7 to install domestic connections. These shallower trenches were hand-dug and measured 0.4m wide by 0.6m deep, impacting on the upper course of the wall (0.45m).

Dublin Gate Street
At the eastern end of the Dublin Gate Street, opposite Mardyke House, a wall F8 was located 0.2m below the road surface (ITM E604190/741462). It was 1.2m wide and was exposed to a depth of 1.15m and was roughly built using unworked limestone cobbles and boulders.  The larger stones measured a maximum of 0.4m x 0.3m x 0.3m and were generally one the edge of the wall, with the smaller cobbles in the centre.  It was bonded with a grey-brown compact lime mortar with frequent gravel inclusions.  A large stone with some core material was accidentally knocked of the upper course of the wall during the excavation of the trench. Following recording F8 was covered with geo-textile, the pipe laid and the trench backfilled with aggregate.

Grace Road / Custume Barracks
Directional drilling along Grace Road in June 2014 near the entrance to Custume Barracks hit a solid object and work was halted until the area could be archaeologically assessed. Subsequent mechanical excavation of an 18m long trench exposed a wall foundation F9 running at an obtuse angle (circa 170°) across the trench with an angled return at its northern terminal F10. The wall, uncovered at a depth of 250mm, measured 10.6m in plan and was orientated NNW-SSE (ITM E603685 N741651). Along the south of the trench the face of the wall was exposed for a length of 4.4m with a maximum depth of 1.43m below the road surface.  The face of the wall was relatively fair and consisted of five rough courses slightly battered to its base. The masonry used was roughly hewn with occasionally squared limestone rubble averaging 0.35m x 0.35m in size with intervening smaller spall stones.  The wall was solidly bonded with a coarse, grey white, limestone mortar with frequent grit and gravel inclusions.

The northern return set at a 60° degree angle was of better construction and appeared tied in to the main wall. Interestingly at the corner where the walls met there was a stone built triangular wedge like wall F11 that abutted the return. The wedge was constructed using unworked limestone pieces measuring 0.4mm x 0.3m x 0.2.

The construction of the angled wall F10 appeared to have a better finish with less gaps between the stones. The lime mortar was also notably darker with a yellow white hue.

To accommodate the installation of pipework, the upper four courses of the walls were manually removed with a crow bar, the surrounding material was a grey brown gravelly clay. Two ceramic finds were recovered from the eastern side of the wall a fragment of stone ware and 19th century black ware. The walls found during monitoring works were stone built and of very solid construction. The existing boundary walls of the Barracks were rebuilt c. 1850-60. The exposed foundations probably represent the original line of the barrack walls that ran along the river front, these wall were reinforced during the late 18th century Napoleonic era. These walls would have been knocked to foundation level to allow for the embankment of the river and for the development of Grace Road which was completed in 1851.

Barrack Street (formerly part of King Street)
A 2.8m long wall F12 orientated ENE WSW was exposed outside the Garda Barracks in September 2014 (ITM E603682 N741457). This wall, near the projected location of Connaught Gate was found at a depth of 290mm below the road surface and ran along the northern side of the carriageway approximately 1.8m from the kerbside. In plan the wall was ‘L’ shaped, the longer axis in line with the trench with a 90° return to the south at its eastern terminal. The wall was built of limestone rubble bonded with a yellow grey mortar. An architectural fragment was found on top of the wall. This ex situ piece had a chamfered edge and a roll moulding. At its south western end it was possible to make out four rough steps. It was hard to determine if these steps were designed intentionally or were the ragged results of previous impacts. The wall at this point was at least 50cm in dept. Due to persistent flooding the base of the wall was not bottomed out.

At the eastern terminal only a single course survived 300mm in height. There was a marked difference in stratigraphy to the east and west of the wall, at the eastern end was a light brown, compact clay with few inclusions. To the west the material was a composite fill of wet, grey black silty clay with an animal bone fragment.

To accommodate a pipe and scour chamber it was necessary to manually remove three upper courses of stone. This excavation also allowed for the investigation of material along the southern face of the wall. The face was relatively fair and contained a squared wooden post inset at the corner of the ‘L’. The post was reduced to a wet pulp and was retained in situ. The location and general appearance of the wall suggest that it may relate to foundations associated with Connaught Gate, the main passage through the West of the town, Unnamed 1685, ‘Connaught Gate’ 1722. (Murtagh, Harman, Irish Historic Towns Atlas – Athlone, No.6 (1994, 10).

Patrick Street
Mid way along the northern section of Patrick Street on the western carriageway a wall F14, 1m wide and 0.6m deep was identified under a layer of rubble (ITM E603573/741241). This wall is located on the projected line of the Batteries built between1803 and 1817 as identified by Athlone Town Walls & Defences Conservation Plan – Oxford Archaeology, 2005, 61).

The northern edge of the wall was slightly truncated by red-brick lined drain. The wall consisted of unworked limestone, no larger than 0.4m x 0.3m x 0.2m in size, bonded with a grey-white lime mortar with gravel inclusions less than 3mm in size. The wall had a rubble core with a rough external face on the northern edge which was not laid in courses.  The southern side consisted of a ragged rubble core. Following consultation with Hugh Carey, this exposed section was recorded and removed to allow for the installation of pipe work.

The Batteries
A stone wall F15 measuring 0.65m wide at top and 1.1m wide at base was exposed to a depth of 1.1m (ITM 603146/741505).  It was constructed with unworked rounded and sub-rounded limestone boulders generally about 0.2m in diameter, with the largest measuring 0.6m x 0.5m x 0.3m. It was bonded with a loose lime mortar with a large amount of sand and gravel inclusions.  The wall was roughly constructed and no faces were evident. The eastern edge of the wall had been disturbed by a modern water pipe, a number of boulders abutted the western edge of the feature.