2017:421 - Glennamought River, Cork

Underwater archaeological impact assessment (UAIA) took place of a 940m-long section of the Glannamought River, an upstream tributary of the River Bride. This work is an addendum to the archaeological assessment previously undertaken by ADCO in 2016, as part of the EIS for the River Bride (Blackpool) Certified Drainage Scheme, the drainage scheme having been subsequently extended (June 2017) to include flood relief measures along the upstream section of the Glennamought River. The additional flood defence measures comprise: a continuation of channel maintenance works (C08_G01) upstream; the insertion of a roughing screen (C08_T01) upstream of Kilnap Bridge; insertion of an associated access trackway (C08_R02); construction of two sections of flood defence wall (C08_L02, & L03), located adjacent to Glen Mills; and construction of a flood defence wall and embankment (C08_L01 and C08_E01) upstream of Glennamought Bridge.

The UAIA assessment covered a 1km-long section of the Glennamought River, extending from Kilnap Viaduct to a point 106m upstream of Glennamought Bridge, ITM: 566471E, 575091N to ITM: 567248E, 575418N. An overlap with ADCO’s previous archaeological assessment was included as part of the current survey. This overlap comprised a 60m-long section of the river, running between Kilnap Viaduct and Kilnap Bridge. The assessment recorded riverbed and bankside topography, assessed the potential of riverbed deposits to retain archaeological material, and identified any features/structures of archaeological or historic significance that were present. In addition, targeted metal-detection was employed to help assess the riverbed and highlight any metallic concentrations present within those deposits. On-site work was carried out on 29 and 30 August 2017.

The UAIA identified a series of thirteen known or previously unrecorded features of historic significance (Features F17-F29). These features comprise: five sections of river walling (F18, F21, F23, F26 and F28), the remains of a millpond (F17), a tailrace and associated culvert structure (F20), a mill boundary wall (F22), a section of masonry wall (F24), the remains of two weirs (F19 and F27), and two bridge structures (F25 and F29). An additional feature (F02A), not visible during the previous (2016) assessment, was also recorded upstream of Kilnap Bridge. The feature is thought to be the remains of a weir/sluice structure associated with a dam (F02) that once crossed the river at that location.

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