County: Mayo Site name: Cong
Sites and Monuments Record No.: MA 120-053006 Licence number: C000716, E004634
Author: Bernard Guinan
Site type: Market Cross
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 514757m, N 755318m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.540876, -9.286072
In September 2015, Mayo County Council drew up proposals for works to protect, the Market Cross, in the centre of Cong village, in south Mayo, which is a National Monument. The vulnerability of the cross has long been a cause for concern. The aim of the project was to protect the monument from potential damage by passing traffic, without impinging on its context or heritage and character of the streetscape, while allowing traffic to move freely and safely. Research into the history of the monument revealed that the cross as it stands today is a composite of medieval, 19th- and 20th-century elements. All works pertaining to this development were carried out in 2016 under Ministerial Consent. A design concept was devised by a multi-disciplinary team, which included the council heritage officer, road engineer and archaeologist.
Two custom-made protective semi-circular limestone kerbs (c. 0.6m high x c. 0.5m deep x c. 2.575m in length) were installed, to the north and south of the cross. Each kerb was placed 1.6m from the limestone steps upon which the cross sits. These kerbs reference the concentric limestone steps and were designed and placed to prevent cars from parking between them and the cross itself. The kerbs were also designed to act as a buffer between the monument and passing traffic. As they are slightly wider than the diameter of the base of the cross, in the event of a collision, the solid, raised kerbs would take the impact, thereby protecting the cross from damage.
Two test trenches (I and II) were excavated to facilitate the installation of the kerbs. Trench I for Limestone Kerb No. 1 measured 2.6m east-west by 1.25m and was laid out to the south of the Market Cross. The tarred surface of the road was cut using a hand-operated road-cutting machine/blade. A substantial layer of compressed black tar c. 0.08 – 0.1m deep was cut through and removed. This tar surface was resting upon slabs of limestone bedrock. Cleaning revealed that this limestone layer was natural bedrock. The limestone was cut into, along its natural plains, until the required depth (c. 0.15m beneath the road surface) necessary for the installation of the limestone kerbs was reached.
Trench II was excavated to the north of the cross and laid out parallel to Trench I, and also measured 2.6m east-west by 1.25m. Similar to Trench I, a road cutting blade was used to remove c. 0.1m of compressed tar, which was again resting on uneven layers of adjoining and overlapping natural limestone. High points on the limestone bedrock were cut until a finished trench depth c. 0.15m beneath the road surface was attained.
The excavation of the two trenches at the Market Cross revealed the monument had been erected on a natural limestone rise. The road surrounding the cross is likewise constructed directly on this solid rock base.
No finds or deposits of an archaeological nature were encountered during the excavation of the two trenches.
Note: The publication of the results of this project are currently in press (April 2018) – Guinan, Bernard, Cunningham, Deirdre and Irwin, Kieran 'Cong Market Cross Context, Challenges and Conservation', Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society Volume 69.
Coosan, Athlone, County Westmeath
