2025:604 - Ballyhale, Kilkenny

A programme of Archaeological Testing and Monitoring of Advance Works and Geotechnical Site Investigations was undertaken with respect to the Ballyhale Flood Relief Scheme. Such works are the first phase of Archaeological Investigation undertaken with respect to the scheme, as required by Condition 6 of the Grant of Planning by An Coimisiún Pleanála.

There are a number of Archaeological Monuments located within, and in the immediate environs of, the extent of the scheme, the most significant of which, in terms of the scheme, is Ballyhale Church and Graveyard (SMR Nos: KK031-034001 & KK031-034002); a church is known from Ballyhale from at least the thirteenth century, but fell into decay following its suppression in the sixteenth century. A tower was added to the church sometime possibly in the fifteenth century and may have been used as a clerical residence; this is extant and has been misidentified as a tower house (castle) – SMR No: KK031-034005; it incorporates a medieval font SMR No: KK031-034004); this tower forms the western bell tower of the existing church. In around 1750, the former church site at Ballyhale was secured and a chapel constructed; this was partially destroyed following a fire but was repaired sometime from 1796 to 1801, with further rebuilding/repairs undertaken in 1804. In 1855, the Catholic church was further rebuilt, ‘almost from its foundations’, and dedicated to St Martin of Tours. Historic Ordnance Survey maps indicate that the area to the north of the graveyard was largely unenclosed prior to the construction of the present boundary walls and that the western boundary was formerly positioned a little further to the east and ran from the south-eastern corner of the medieval tower to the river, where it was possibly incorporated into a section of the river wall. Following a significant flood event in 1947, the existing concrete boundary walls along the northern and western sides of the graveyard were constructed; in addition, an additional water channel, known locally as the ‘overflow channel’ was  excavated to the west of the graveyard; this necessitated the construction of a culvert under the existing public road to the south; in addition, an existing pedestrian access walkway across the original east channel appears to have been reconstructed at this time.

Three distinct phases of works were undertaken. In all cases, the spoil from such works was subjected to metal detection and was raked over.

Phase 1: Advance Works

This phase of works involved the removal of the existing concrete parapet walls to the pedestrian walkway and excavation of the surface thoroughfare. Removal of undergrowth and debris outside the western parapet wall revealed that much of the western face comprised a stone wall, up to 0.48m in thickness, onto which the concrete wall was bonded; it is speculated that such stone wall remains are of at least 19^th-century date or may be associated with the reconstitution of the church in the mid-eighteenth century. In addition, the eastern parapet wall is constructed on the remains of a stone wall, forming a side wall to the eastern river channel; this is also likely to date to the later eighteenth or nineteenth centuries.

Removal of the concrete surface of the walkway revealed a 0.48m depth of mixed gravel and stone in a light brown clay matrix; this sealed a firm layer of dark brown, slightly gravelly, slightly sandy clay, which was up to 0.22m in thickness; this overlay very firm pinkish/grey clay subsoil, which was up to 0.35m in thickness and which revealed the surface of the underlying bedrock. The walkway surface was subsequently reinstated and fencing installed along the edges.

A trench was excavated between the northern and southern channel walls of the river to the east of the walkway at the centre-line location of the permanent replacement pedestrian access structure. The northern extent of the trench was up to 0.6m wide and the southern extent, which flooded, was up to 0.4m wide. The river bed material comprised silty, sandy gravels, up to 0.42m in depth/thickness, overlying a bedrock surface.

No subsurface features of archaeological interest were uncovered and no artefacts of archaeological/historic interest were recovered by such works.

Phase 2: Archaeological Testing

The programme of Archaeological Testing was undertaken in two separate areas; Area A was located to the north and west of the existing graveyard and Area B in an area to the southeast, between the river and the R448 road to Mullinavat.

Area A

A total of thirteen trenches, of varying lengths and orientations, were excavated in this area. A series of modern stone-filled drainage channels, orientated north-south, and a soak pit were uncovered outside the rear (western) property boundaries to the north of the graveyard, with cross channels running west to the western ‘overflow’ channel; it is likely that these were installed following the significant flood event of 1947.

Subsurface wall remains were recovered to the north and west of the graveyard. These ranged in width from 0.7m to 1.15m; in general the remains were of random-rubble construction, with larger stones along the faces and generally incorporated clay mortar bonding; the cores were largely formed by clay mortar and small stones, particularly along the northern section. The wall remains to the north (Wall A) of the graveyard were generally aligned east-west, with a slight dog-leg evident at the western extent. The wall remains uncovered to the west of the graveyard had two distinct orientations; the northern length (Wall B) was orientated northwest-southeast while the southern length (Wall C) was orientated north-northeast-south-south-west, with a dogleg at the southern extent running to the southwest; In addition, a short section of a wall was uncovered running east from the northern central extent of Wall C, into which it was bonded; it was exposed for a length of 2.1m, after which it appeared to be truncated by disturbance associated with the western graveyard wall and was up to 0.52m in width. Based on the exposed sections of the walls, it appears the return section of Wall A and Wall B and the southernmost extent of Wall C were truncated by the excavation of the western ‘overflow’ channel.

There was evidence for inhumation burials within the areas enclosed by the exposed walls in the T7 (north of the existing graveyard) and T10 (immediate west of church tower); limited ‘in-situ’ investigations of these were undertaken by Clare Mullins; in addition the truncated remains of a possible stone tomb were uncovered in the latter area.

It is likely that the exposed walls are of medieval date and formed the boundaries to the medieval church site. It is speculated that Wall C may have originally extended to Wall A, through the position of the later church tower, and that Wall B and was partially demolished to accommodate the tower construction, after which Wall B was subsequently constructed and joined to an western extension to Wall A. It is unclear as to the function of Wall D. In addition, the inhumations and possible stone tomb remains are of medieval date; in that regard, it is noted that no further evidence for inhumations was uncovered to the north/northwest of T7 by the excavation of T3, T8 and T9, indicating that the area enclosed by the walls had not been fully used for burials at the time of the suppression of the church in the sixteenth century and that its use as a burial ground may have lapsed at this time.

Nine sherds of medieval pottery (Leinster Coking Ware and Kilkenny Ware) were recovered and analysed by Clare McCutcheon

Area B

A total of twelve test trenches were excavated within this area together with an area of topsoil stripping to accommodate an access ramp. T14 was 120m in total length and generally orientated east-west; the remaining trenches (T15 – T25) were 10m in individual lengths and all extended south from T14. Nothing of archaeological or historical interest was uncovered by such investigations.

Phase 3: Geotechnical Investigations

No subsurface features of archaeological interest were uncovered and no artefacts of interest were recovered by the monitoring of the excavations of the geotechnical slit trenches and trial pits. The crowns of the arches of Ballyhale Bridge were uncovered In TP12 (single crown) and TP13 (two crowns).

It is expected that a section of Wall C will be further investigated in 2026, together with a programme of monitoring of construction-related works