2017:208 - SuperValu, Kilcock, Kildare

Two separate phases of archaeological mitigation were carried out under licence 17E0068 at the site of a carpark extension at Super-Valu, Kilcock, Co. Kildare. The site lies partially within the zone of notification of the late medieval St Coca’s church (KD005-002001-) and graveyard (KD005-002002-) site (located to the immediate south-west of the subject site). In late February 2017 testing was undertaken at the site. In total 180m² of test trenching was completed. The tested areas of the site proved to be heavily disturbed with extensive deposits of 20th-century construction/demolition-related debris present across the site; less contaminated 19th-century infill deposits were also evident, particularly at lower levels within the trenches. The northern cluster of test trenches demonstrated that this portion of the site was substantially composed of relatively recent construction related debris as well as 19th-century infill deposits, these infill deposits were more evident to the west of the area. No human bone or anything of archaeological interest was encountered in any of the trenches in the northern portion of the site (Trenches 1/4, 2, 3) and no further archaeological mitigation was deemed necessary in this area.

A similar stratigraphy was evident across the majority of the trenches in the southern portion of the site (Trenches 5, 6, 7). However, the north-western end of Trench 5 proved to be less disturbed by the modern demolition debris and here at a depth of 0.7-0.8m a concentration of disarticulated human bone was revealed. The bones (which included skull, mandible and femur fragments) that became loose during trench excavation were retrieved and the area was investigated for the presence of a grave cut or any articulated remains. Although investigation proved that the bones were disarticulated and ex-situ, it was deemed appropriate that due to the concentration evident, with greater amounts likely to be revealed beneath, the remaining disarticulated bones be left in-situ with no further excavation of the trench undertaken.

A further concentration of disarticulated human bone was identified within the topsoil at the planned Trench 10 location, again, loose bones were retrieved, and the trench was not excavated. Subsequent osteological examination of the retrieved bone revealed that the comingled remains consisted of at least two adults and one juvenile. Several bones from the assemblage had pathological conditions. The remains could not be sexed accurately but based on the size there was one possible male. Disarticulated bone concentrations uncovered in Trenches 5 and 7 were identified as animal.

The archaeological testing phase had identified the southern portion of the site as possessing higher potential for disarticulated human bone concentrations, with a more moderate potential identified across the central portion of the site, particularly underlying the disturbed upper levels. Based on the recommendations outlined in the subsequent JCA testing report, and approved by the National Monuments Service, a redesigned carpark layout and landscaping plan was devised and implemented. The revised plan reduced the number of parking spaces from 70 to 53, with the vast majority of the spaces now focused on the northern and north-central portions of the site. As part of the revised plan a larger area in the southern portion of the site, adjacent to St Coca’s church and graveyard site, remained undeveloped and was instead rehabilitated with an enhanced and non-intrusive landscaping plan. The revised plans ensured that no significant excavations were undertaken across the land parcel, with the only ground reductions being the clearance of overburden and debris to a general depth of 0.2m. This was the formation level for the new carpark and introduced material was built up from this level.

In the extreme southern portion of the site, only vegetation and overlying debris were removed to allow for the introduction of topsoil prior to landscaping.

A further phase of archaeological mitigation was undertaken at the site during October and November 2017. These works were carried out under an extension to licence 17E0068. On this occasion, all ground clearance and reduction work across the southern and central portions of the carpark extension site was monitored. A further seven fragments (four from the southern area, three from the central area) of disarticulated, potentially human, bone was retrieved during this phase of monitoring. All fragments were recovered from the heavily disturbed upper 0.2m of soil. No evidence of grave cuts, articulated remains or anything else of archaeological significance was revealed during this phase of monitoring. The retrieved bone fragments have been added to the existing analysed sample of human bone recovered from the site during previous mitigation phases.

All development work at the site has now been completed and no further archaeological mitigation is scheduled. It has been recommended by John Cronin and Associates that the combined bone sample, containing the analysed human bone from the previous mitigation phases and the seven fragments of disarticulated, potentially human, bone retrieved during the recent monitoring phase, be reinterred, with religious blessing, in the landscaped green area, adjacent to the walls of St Coca’s church and graveyard site, at the southern end of the completed development.

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