2024:802 - The Mall, Waterford, Waterford

A programme of Archaeological Monitoring of required excavations associated with the installation of a replacement underground cable (UGC) located at The Mall and west of Reginald’s Tower, Waterford was undertaken at the request of the developer.

The works were located within the RMP Zone and SMR Zone of Notification established for Waterford City (SMR WA009-005); in particular a section of the UGC was routed adjacent Reginald’s Tower, an Anglo-Norman Masonry Castle (SMR WA009-005001) and close to a former Blockhouse (SMR WA009-005049); furthermore, a section of the excavation trench crossed the Line of Town Defences (SMR WA009-00502).

Notification of the works was submitted to the National Monuments Service, as required under Section 12(3) of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, who advised that Ministerial Consent was necessary for the works.

The subject works required the excavation of a trench along the northern pavement of ‘The Mall’, from outside the entrance door to No. 3 and in a general north-easterly direction to the western corner of No. 1 (‘The Reg’); it was then routed in a general north-westerly direction to the west of Reginald’s Tower, beyond which it terminated at an existing substation kiosk. The total length of the trench was approximately 47m. The works required the temporary removal of sections of paving slabs along the pavement of ‘The Mall’ and cobble-blocks along the public realm area to the west of Reginald’s Tower. The trench was generally up to 0.35m wide and up to 0.65m deep, although it was deepened to up to 0.85m locally where existing services were uncovered. Removal of the existing surface components revealed a layer of concrete throughout the entire length of the trench and which was up to 0.15m in thickness; below this was a layer of mixed fill and truncated by a number of existing services. The short remains of a red-brick wall was encountered to the immediate north of the Town Wall Marker to the west of Reginald’s Tower; this was associated with structures which were constructed around the Tower and indicated on nineteenth-century maps.

No subsurface features of archaeological interest/potential were uncovered by the works and all spoil material was ‘raked-over’ in order to increase the chances of artefact recovery. The only artefact recovered was a fragment of clay tobacco pipe; the bowl incorporated a character/portrait of an Hussar soldier and the stem incorporated a wave-and-dot motif; this dates to around 1860.