2019:188 - Dublin Street, Burrin Street, Brown Street, Castle Street, Bridewell Lane, Centaur Street and Kennedy Street, Carlow, Carlow

Monitoring of excavations associated with the Carlow Water Mains Rehabilitation works, were carried out between 25 June and 04 September 2019, on various streets in the historic core in Carlow town, namely Dublin Street/Burrin Street, Brown Street, Castle Street, Bridewell Lane, Centaur Street and Kennedy Street.

The rehabilitation works are located in their entirety within the zone of archaeological potential for the historic town of Carlow (CW007-018), on the east side of the River Barrow and north side of the Burren River.

Excavation trenches were on or next to the footprint of the pre-existing cast iron mains and/or other services, therefore most of the excavations associated with water mains rehabilitation were in mixed deposits of re-deposited soil, demonstrating a high level of prior sub-surface disturbance resulting from the provision of water, sewerage, electric, gas, telecommunications or other services in the town's streets. The mains line, in general, followed the footprint of the existing cast iron mains, which was exposed throughout Dublin Street, and the footprint of an existing ceramic sewer, encased in concrete, which was exposed on Burrin Street. Existing services were embedded in a dark or mid-brown silty clay or a compact orange-brown silty sand or silty clay.

Monitoring identified five post-medieval drains or service chambers, including two bricked arched drains at the north end of Dublin Street and a brick service chamber on Kennedy Street. The network of 18th- and 19th-century stone drains in Carlow town have been recorded during previous archaeological investigations in the town, principally during the Carlow Main Drainage Scheme and along Tullow Street in June and July 2018.

Small areas of cobble stone were also exposed 1-1.15m below the surface at the intersection of Dublin Street/Burrin Street with Kennedy Street/Kennedy Avenue. A single clay pipe stem fragment was found on the surface of cobble stones 1.15m below the surface on the north side of the junction of Dublin Street and Kennedy Street, suggesting a post-medieval date. The mains pipe was installed above the exposed cobbled surfaces, leaving the surfaces in situ.

In line with all previous excavations in the town, no evidence of the medieval town defences on Dublin Street/Burrin Street or on Brown Street was exposed.

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