# Land parcel 1674477, Ireland

Registered freehold land, Tailte Éireann. A parcel is the land of a title, not an address.

- Parcel number at Tailte Éireann (SP_ID): 1674477
- Area: 4,286 m² (0.43 ha, 1.06 acres), as Tailte Éireann measures it
- Buildings (Tailte Éireann): no building touches it
- Townland: none: the statutory boundaries draw no townland here, as in the centres of Dublin, Cork and Galway

## Zoning (national zoning of development plans, MyPlan)

- G5 Open Space and Recreation (Mixed/general 'green'/recreation/conservation, other): Limerick Development Plan 2022-2028, Limerick. The zoning objective in the plan: https://www.limerick.ie/sites/default/files/media/documents/2023-05/Limerick-Development-Plan-Volume-1-Written-Statement-including-Variation-No-1.pdf#page=387

## Planning applications on this parcel (National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

1 application, newest first.

- 18 Jul 2025, Limerick County Council 2560704: Conditional. Permission. The development, Limerick Navigation and Park Canal 5-year Maintenance Works along the Abbey River and Shannon River Navigation from Quay Lock to Ardnacrusha Tail Race junction and the Park Canal, in the townlands of Rebouge, Rebouge Island, Park, Monamuck, Irishtown, St. Francis Abbey, English Town, King’s Island, Corbally, Monabraher, Co. Limerick., will consist of essential maintenance works along the Shannon Navigation and Park Canal, as outlined in the Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) submitted with the planning application and in accordance with Waterways Ireland’s statutory remit comprising of the following: • Removal from the navigation, along the Abbey River and River Shannon to the Ardnacrusha Tail Race, overhanging branches and infringing trees (including dead trees) that have fallen over more than 60 degrees out into the navigation channel causing a hazard to passing vessels. • Maintenance of overgrown vegetation impacting and overgrowing the water portion of the Park Canal, aquatic weed management as required, and removal of debris and litter. • Maintenance of the south back drain associated with the Park Canal. • Removal of vegetation impacting Park Canal structures and undertaking necessary physical minor repairs to Quay/Limerick Lock Chamber and associated Footbridge, Troy’s/Park Lock Chamber and Park Bridge and associated canal or lock wing and quay walls. The proposed works will involve maintenance to, but not altering the materials or the character of Protected Structures No. 6063 Canal Footbridge at Lock Quay and No. 6064 Canal Quay and Lock Walls at Lock Quay. The vegetation works will involve working within close proximity to or within the curtilage of, but not undertaking any works to, RPS No. 3478 Stone and Brick buildings at Quay Lock, RPS No. 3319 Lock Quay Carriage Arch, RPS No. 6058 O’Dwyers Bridge and RPS No. 3314 Athlunkard Boat Club An Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) and Natura Impact Statement (NIS) accompany the planning application. File: https://eplanning.ie/LimerickCCC/AppFileRefDetails/2560704/0

Applicants are not shown.

## Designated sites (National Parks and Wildlife Service)

- Special Area of Conservation: Lower River Shannon SAC, site code 002165, https://www.npws.ie/protected-sites/sac/002165

## Recorded monuments around it, by their zones of notification (Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service)

This parcel is in the zone of notification of 129 recorded monuments.

- LI005-016001: Earthwork, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-016001-. Earthwork or small mound depicted with hachures on the 1938 ed. OS 6-inch map, annotated 'Castle Blake or Farranshone (Site of)' (LI005-006002-) which marked the site of Castle Blake. Modern housing located in area marked on OS 6-inch map. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 14 November 2019
- LI005-016002: Castle - unclassified, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-016002-. Westropp (1907, 32) and Orpen (1914, 167-9) suggested that Castle of Blathac was 'stated to be near Limerick, having been apparently given to the citizens by John with other lands near the city; "forty" castles are named in the grant, as being in these lands; they left no trace known to us. It may have been the "Castleblagh" granted to Sir W. Parsons, in the county of the city of Limerick, and still known as Castleblake, or Farrenshone, on the Clare side of the Shannon'. Farranshone or Castle Blake was described by Westropp (1906-7, 81) as following; '1218 Walter de Lacy held the C[astle]. of Drogheda, the land of Armail [Ardmayle], and the C[astle]. of Blathac, near Limerick city (C.S.P.I., No. 835). The grants are equivocal, some giving Drogheda, Armail [Ardmayle, Co. Tipperary], near Limerick, and C[astle]. Blathac (lb., 952, 953). The citizens of Limerick granted to Henry de Londres, Archbishop of Dublin, 1213-1228, and the Church of the Holy Trinity, Dublin, a carucate at C[astle]. Blathac, with the C[astle], being one of the forty castles granted by King John to Limerick (Crede Mihi, lix. Lib. Nig. Alani, 579). Before 1248 the Archbishop granted it to Matilda, wife of W. de Mareys (C.S.P.I., vol. i., 2759). In 1624, Sir W. Parsons was confirmed in Castleblake or Castleblagh in the County of the City of Limerick (Pat. B.). 1633 Nic[holas]. Arthur held Castleblake or Farrenshone (Inq. Chan. 112) ; also in 1655 (C.S., xxviii., p. 83). It is not marked in Petty's map 63). 1666 Confirmed to Sir W. Petty (Act Sett.)'. Orpen (1909, 40-1) wrote the following account on Castle Blake; 'As to the site of the castle, in my ignorance of the locality I can only look for it on the map. It must have been close to Limerick and adjoining, if not on, the forty carucates of burgage land. It seems certain that these forty carucates, or some of them, are now represented by the "North Liberties" of Limerick, which have been formed into a barony by themselves. At the northern extremity of this barony is "Castle Park." This, however, according to Mr. Westropp's notes, was distinguished in the seventeenth century from Castleblake or Castle blagh. The latter was about the same time equated with Farrenshone, still the name of a disjointed townland here. Evidently the site of Castleblathach, if any trace of it be discoverable, will be found somewhere near'. Modern housing located in area where castle site is marked on OS 6-inch map. See attached 1657 Down Survey barony map of the North Liberties (Hib. Reg.) showing two buildings immediately S of the road leading into Limerick City. The location of Castleblake on the OS maps is similar to the location of these two houses on the Down Survey map. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 13 November 2019
- LI005-017: Historic town, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017----. The historic city of Limerick was described in the Urban Survey (Bradley et. al. 1989, 241-67) as following; 'The city of Limerick is situated on the river Shannon in the north-east corner of County Limerick. The placename is derived from Luimneach "bare or barren land", a name which originally appears to have been applied to part of the Shannon estuary rather than just the immediate site of the city itself. The handful of prehistoric finds from the city indicates only that the site of the future settlement was occasionally frequented by man in early times. The fact that there are not more is surprising because the presence of the Curragour Falls must have given Limerick a topographical significance even in prehistoric times. There are many artefacts in the collections of the National Museum and elsewhere which were found in the river Shannon "near Limerick" but only two stone axeheads and two bronze dirks can be pinned down to the actual vicinity of the old would seem to have been an into early historic times. The Hiberno-Scandinavian Town The first evidence for the presence of Scandinavians occurs in 845 (AFM: 843) when Viking fleets appeared on the Shannon estuary and launched raids into county Limerick. It is unlikely that they settled, however, but there are a few scattered references which may indicate that a base existed at or near Limerick for a short time in the later ninth century. An eleventh century saga states that the Vikings Hona and Tomrir Torra were at Limerick with an army in 860 (Radner 1978, 109); a Viking fleet is known to have raided along the Shannon from Limerick in 866; and the Chronicon Scottorum states that the "foreigners of Limerick" were slaughtered by the Connachtmen in 887. It is hard to know if these three references add up to a permanent settlement at late ninth century Limerick or not but they certainly show that there was Scandinavian activity in the area at this time. The present city was founded in 922 by the Norse king Tamar mac Ailche (?Thormodr Helgason), "king of an immense fleet" who landed on Inis Sibtond (King’s Island) and established a lonqphort there. The site afforded considerable natural advantages. Being an island it was easy to defend, there was immediate access to the open sea along the Shannon estuary and thereby to the lucrative Atlantic trade routes of Europe. The shallows at Curragour Falls formed a natural barrier restricting the flow of river traffic and the situation also afforded an entry into the rich heart of central Ireland along the Shannon basin. Tamar, indeed, lost no time in making his presence felt. His fleet proceeded to devastate the monasteries which could be reached from the Shannon: Terryglass, Lorrha, Clonfert and Clonmacnoise among others (Smyth 1979, 21). At Inis Cealtra, on Lough Derg, the raid was so fierce that two centuries later it was remembered that "they drowned its shrines, relics and its books" (Todd 1867, 38-9). They proceeded into Lough Ree and from there started to raid into Meath and Connacht, all the while presumably sending back the loot of plunder and slaves to the newly founded settlement at Limerick for auction and sale. The history of Scandinavian Limerick can in fact be divided into four phases: (1) the period of foundation, 922-37; (2) the period of Dublin domination, 937-67; (3) period of Ua Briain domination 967-c.1065; and (4) the period as Ua Briain capital c.1065-c.1195. These periods can only be briefly glanced at here. The period of foundation, 922-37, witnessed Limerick emerge as an independent Scandinavian settlement struggling to maintain its independence from the kings of Dublin. The events of these years, which witnessed raids by the Limerick Vikings all over central, western and northern Ireland are particularly well recorded in the annals. In 923 they captured Flaithbertach mac Inmainen, the retired king of Munster, from his island retreat at Loch Cré and brought him back to Limerick for ransom. In 924 they again placed a fleet on Lough Ree, this time under the command of Colla mac Bairid (Kolli Baardarson), described in the annals as king of Limerick (AFM: 922; CS: 923). In 924 the Dublin Vikings, worried that the growing number of Limerick raids in central Ireland would diminish their power, sent an army to subdue their Limerick kinsmen but they were defeated and had to retreat back to Dublin (AU). This victory seems to have encouraged the ambitions of Limerick’s leaders. In 928 Tamar mac Ailche put his fleet on Lough Neagh and burnt the islands of that lake (AU: 927). In 929 Limerick vessels are recorded on Lough Corrib and they remained there until the following year (AU: 928; AFM: 927; CS: 930). In 930 a Limerick army encamped in central Ossory, establishing their base at Loch Beathrach, an unidentified lake which appears to have been either on the Nore or its tributary the King’s River (Smyth 1979, 25) and was only driven out by the appearance of Gothfrith, king of Dublin, with a rival army in the following year (AFM sa 929; AU sa 929). The year 931 saw a Limerick fleet on Lough Ree (AU: 931; AFM: 929; CS: 930) and the activities of the Limerick Vikings in Connacht and central Ireland between 931 and 937 has led to the suggestion that they must have established a base in Lough Ree (Smyth 1979, 250-1). Indeed Smyth (ibid) has speculated that the famous Hare Island (Co. Westmeath) hoard, the largest known gold find from Viking-age Europe, formed part of the treasure of the Limerick armies. In 933 a new leader, Olafr Cenncairech ("scabby-head") lead them into Roscommon (AFM:932) and returned there again the following year (CS: 933). In 936 he transported his ships overland from the Shannon to the Erne and raided down into the present-day county of Cavan (AFM: 934; CS: 935; A. Clon., 149). He returned back to Lough Ree on Christmas night of 936 and he remained there for seven months plundering and looting the plains of Connacht (AFM: 934). In August 937 the long-awaited confrontation between the Dublin and Limerick Vikings occurred. Olafr Gothfrithson, king of Dublin, led his army to Lough Ree where he defeated the Limerick vikings, broke up their ships and carried Olafr Cenncairech back to Dublin as his prisoner (AFM: 935; CS: 935; A. Clon. 931). That the defeat of Olafr Cenncairech marks a stage in Limerick’s history is clear from the absence of references to it the succeeding years. Indeed, from what little evidence there is, it appears that the king of Dublin now imposed a member of his own family, Haraldr Sigtryggson (d. 940), king of Limerick (Smyth 1979, 35). The settlers now seem to have become more closely integrated into the local political scene. In 953 Limerick vikings assisted the king of Munster, Cellacháin Caisil, in plundering Clonmacnoise (AFM 951; AU 952). This integration was to reach a head in 967 (AU 966) with the capture of the town by Mathgamain mac Cennetig, who had seized the kingship of Cashel in 963. The Coqadh Gaedhel re Gallaibh, written some two hundred years later states that "the fort and good town (deabali) was burned and reduced ashes" (Todd 1867, 80-1). The booty obtained at the time had all the appearance of oriental origin as Smyth (1977, 165-6) has remarked: "they carried off their jewels and their best property, and their saddles beautiful and foreign; their gold and silver, their beautiful woven cloth of all colours and kinds; their satins and silken cloth, pleasing and variegated, both scarlet and green" (Todd 1867, 78-9). The captives "soft, youthful, bright, matchless girls ..blooming, silk-clad young women, large, active and well-formed boys" were rounded up on the hills of Saingel and "every one that was fit for war was killed and every one of them that was fit for a slave was enslaved" (ibid.,78-81). The capture of Limerick in 967 marks the beginning of a period of Ua Briain domination that was to last until the coming of the Anglo-Normans. Within this period, however, there is a noti
- LI005-017001: Bridge, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017001-. 19th century Balls (Baals) Bridge (NIAH Reg. No. 21513031) traversing the Abbey River was built on the site of the four arched medieval Baal's Bridge. The medieval bridge was described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 256) as following; 'The reference to the destruction of a bridge by Domhnall Mor Ua Briain in 1176 indicates that there has been a bridge at Limerick since Viking times. The location of this bridge, however, is not absolutely certain. From the context in which the reference occurs it is most unlikely that it is a bridge which straddles the Shannon but rather a bridge linking King’s Island with Irish Town or the mainland probably on the site of the present Baal’s Bridge (Scott and Martin 1978, 167). Ball’s bridge may retain a medieval core although rebuilt in 1830 (Leask 1941,102). Both Baal’s Bridge and Thomond Bridge (LI005-017002-) are shown many times on sixteenth and seventeenth century maps and there can be little doubt but that both are ancient crossing points'. In 1998 three cuttings were excavated under licence No. 98E0581 on George's Quay and one at Broad Street before construction activity associated with the Limerick Main Drainage Scheme. In addition, a programme of excavation (50 trenches) was initiated in the Abbey River before the first phase of pipe-laying in the riverbed. Phase II of the construction work will see river gravels being investigated for archaeological structures and artefacts at the mouth of the Abbey River at its confluence with the River Shannon and another short programme of land-based excavation in the Potato Market. The summary of these excavations were described by Edmond O'Donovan for Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd as following; 'Broad Street Excavations at Broad Street (Cutting 3) uncovered two medieval bridge piers under the junction of Broad Street and Charlotte Quay. These structures formed part of the medieval bridge (on the site of Baal's Bridge) that formed the vital link between the Irishtown and the Englishtown on King's Island. When the Anglo-Normans launched their assault on Limerick in 1175 there was no bridge in the location later occupied by Baal's Bridge. Giraldus Cambrensis records that the attackers found a ford across the Abbey River and he 'hurled himself headlong into the swiftly flowing river...' and managed to cross to the opposite bank. It would appear that the bridge linking King's Island to the mainland to the south, on the site of what is now called Baal's Bridge, was non-existent when the Anglo-Normans arrived in Limerick in 1175. The excavations at Broad Street indicated a long archaeological sequence commencing in the mid-13th century up to the present day. The cutting measured 35m east-west by between 5m and excavated to a depth of 5m below the street level. Three samples from oak timbers that revetted one of the bridge piers were submitted for dendrochronological dating (David Brown, The Queen's University of Belfast). The results suggested that the bridge piers were constructed in the early 13th century. Organic deposits were identified abutting the bridge piers. Environmental analysis of macrofossil plant and insect remains (by Eileen Reilly and Penny Johnston of Margaret Gowen & Co.) has demonstrated that the deposits around the bridge piers accumulated slowly as a result of the dumping of organic refuse and the accumulation of river silts. The organic deposits originated from natural silting and contemporary settlement in the medieval city during the 13th and 14th centuries. The excavation revealed evidence for the growth and development of Broad Street, with evidence of house floors dating from the 14th/early 15th century built on top of ground reclaimed from the riverbed. This expansion of the Irishtown towards the Abbey River is likely to have been associated with renewed town wall building extending into the Abbey River. The uppermost archaeological deposits in the cutting consisted of post-medieval cobbling, drains and culverts. The medieval bridge was demolished in 1830 before the construction of the current Baal's Bridge. Baal's Bridge Extensive excavations of the riverbed from Matthew Bridge to Baal's Bridge have been completed. These involved opening a large cutting under Baal's Bridge and fifty smaller trenches upstream and downstream of the ford on which the bridge is sited. The river gravels (c. 1m deep) in these locations are rich in archaeological artefacts. While no in situ structures have been uncovered, a large, important and eclectic collection of archaeological objects was found. The trenches were excavated in situ in the riverbed, and the artefacts were recovered layer by layer. A preliminary summary of the artefacts found includes objects dating from the prehistoric period (worked flint) to the post-medieval period. To date, no Bronze Age objects have been recovered. Several pre-Viking Age artefacts have been recovered, including a possible Iron Age horse bit, an Early Christian bronze zoomorphic object and a spiral-headed pin. A number of Viking Age stick-pins and a coin (c. 1035), minted in London for King Cnut, were also found. Medieval and post-medieval artefacts include beads, coins, horse equipment, pins, brooches, tools and weapons. A small assemblage of locally manufactured and imported medieval pottery has been recovered from the riverbed. Fifty medieval coins dating from 1200 to 1540 have been recovered; they are largely Irish, although Scottish, French and English coins are also included. An early post-medieval (c. 1600) seal bearing the 'Lymerick Port' coat of arms was also recovered from the riverbed. Objects dating from the Williamite siege of the city, including iron and stone cannon, musket balls of various sizes, gun flints, spurs, fragments of iron mortar bombs, grenades, iron bayonets and coins (Jacobite gun money), have been retrieved.' (www.excavations.ie). The present 19th century bridge was described by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage [NIAH] as a, 'Single-arched hump-back limestone bridge, built between 1830-31, linking Mary Street to the north in English Town with Broad Street to the south within Irish Town and spans the Abbey River. Plaque to bridge reads: 'This bridge was erected by virtue of an Act of the XIth of Geo.e the IV. The Rt. Honble. Thos. Spring Rice M.P. for the city of Limerick. Commenced taking down the old bridge Nov. 1830. The new bridge finished Nov. 1831. J.A. & G. R. Pain Architects.' Another plaque reads: 'The ancient bridge of four arches which occupied this site was taken down and this bridge erected at the expense of the new Limerick Navigation Company incorporated 1830 - Chas. Wye Williams Esqr. Chief Director. J.A. & G. R. Pain Architects.' (www.buildingsofireland.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 14 November 2019
- LI005-017002: Bridge, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017002-. The present 19th century Thomond Bridge (NIAH Reg. No. 21508001) crossing the River Shannon overlooked by King John's Castle (LI005-017014-) was described by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage as a, 'Seven-arch rock-faced limestone road bridge, built in 1836, spanning the River Shannon, with pointed curved breakwaters and short quadrant abutments. Inscription to commemorative plaque, on road side of parapet reads: 'This bridge was built A.D. 1840 at the Expense of the Corporation of the Borough of Limerick. This tablet was placed there by order of the town council A.D. 1843. The Right Worshipful Martin Honan Mayor John F. Raleigh Esq. Town Clerk Francis O'Neil Esq. Treasurer James and G.R. Pain Architects.' The building of a wider and more accessible Thomond Bridge, which was constructed between 1836-1838 to the design of James Pain and George Pain, gave better access to the agricultural districts of Clare. It replaced a series of previous bridges dating to the twelfth or thirteenth century, linking the west side of the River Shannon with King's Island. The previous medieval bridge was of fourteen arches. It is believed to incorporate pier foundations from the bridge which it replaced, as survey drawings dated to 1814, demonstrating the re-use of existing historic fabric by James Pain' (www.buildingsofireland.ie). Thomond medieval bridge crossing the River Shannon was described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 256) as following; 'The reference to the destruction of a bridge by Domhnall Mor Ua Briain in 1176 indicates that there has been a bridge at Limerick since Viking times. The location of this bridge, however, is not absolutely certain. From the context in which the reference occurs it is most unlikely that it is a bridge which straddles the Shannon but rather a bridge linking King’s Island with Irish Town or the mainland probably on the site of the present Baal’s Bridge [LI005-017001-] (Scott and Martin 1978, 167). The bridge across the Shannon appears to have been built in the reign of John [1199-1216]. In 1358 the citizens received a grant to assist them in extending this bridge and adding towers to it in order to repel the Irish (Tresham 1828, 74: no. 82). Both Baal's Bridge and Thomond Bridge are shown many times on sixteenth and seventeenth century maps and there can be little doubt that both are ancient crossing points'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 14 November 2019 See Hodkinson, B. (2005) 'Old Thomond bridge' NMAJ 45, 1-6
- LI005-017003: House - medieval, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017003-. Bourke's House described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 258-9) as following; 'One wall of this structure stands on the north side of Athlunkard St near the junction with Mary St. It is built of roughly coursed rubble limestone and is c.7m high and 12.5m wide although incomplete at both ends. In the centre of the facade, at ground level, is a modern pointed recess containing a drinking fountain; this possibly occupies the site of an earlier door. A large concave moulding runs across most of the facade some 2m above ground level. Above the drinking fountain, c.3m above ground, is another pointed recess occupying the site of a fireplace with chimney-flue rising above it. To the west of the fireplace is a small wall cupboard. Above the fireplace, c.6m above ground level, the wall is thickened inwards by 40cm and is supported on a row of flat lintels resting on pyramidal corbels. Above each lintel is a relieving arch'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 14 November 2019
- LI005-017004: Castle - tower house, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017004-. National monument No. 383. Late medieval tower house known locally as Fanning’s Castle which stands at the S end of King's Island, E of Creagh Lane and S of Mary Street, 55m N of the Abbey River and 130m SSE of St Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-). The castle was named after the Fanning family who were in possession of this building in 1641. The castle was also known locally as Whitamore's Castle named after Whitamore's Inn which was described in the 17th century as facing the Old Tholsel in Mary Street (Limerick Leader July 15, 1950). However in the 17th century the Town Hall was housed in the Exchange, of which the portico still survives standing behind the chancel of St. Mary’s Cathedral. Thomas Dineley a visitor to the city in the late 17th century stated the 'The Inns of the best accommodacon are at Mr. Francis Whittemares' (Shirley 1886, 440). The footnotes to Dineley's diary stated 'Francis Whittamore was mayor of Limerick in 1682' and that Whittamore's Castle was located in Mary-street (ibid.) Conservation work was first carried out on the building by the state c. 1940 (ibid.). In the 1950 article in the Limerick Leader the building was described as following; 'The house dates from about 1500. It fronted originally on Mary Street, and the present conspicuous remains really represent the hind portion with fireplace, doorway, Tudor windows and a graderobe. North of the ruin a stump of ancient masonry behind Creagh Lane houses marks the former home of the most notable of the Fanning's, Dominic. In 1646 a peace treaty was rejected, the existing Mayor was deposed and Alderman Dominic Fanning was appointed by the clergy and the local people as the new Mayor of Limerick (Gilbert 1879, 699). He took a prominent part in the resistance to Ireton, was taken after the fall of the city and executed in November 1651'. Thomas Dineley recorded that Dominic Fanning, Mayor of Limerick City between 1646-52 had held out 'against Ireton Cromwells son in law, for which he was hanged at this own door & his house is demolished to this day' (Shirley 1866, 441-2). Described in the Urban Survey (Bradley et. al. 1989, 259-62) as following: ‘This five storied tower house is located on the south side of English town behind the Vocational school. It originally overlooked the Abbey River. It is in a poor state of preservation; only the south wall (c. 11.5m high) being completely intact, the east wall is largely intact but with modern modifications, the south return of the west wall survives and the north wall is completely missing. The masonry is roughly coursed limestone with dressed limestone quoins and all the windows and doors in the south wall have chamfered limestone jambs. The present ground level is built up, c.2-3m higher than in gardens to the west, and covers most of the ground floor. This may have been barrel-vaulted as a broad (3.75m) segmental arch, most of the keystones of which are modern replacements, is visible just above present ground level in the south wall (internally) and another protrudes c.75cm above external ground level at the rear (north). No features of the ground plan are visible internally but externally the south wall has a round headed doorway and a rectangular window/door both of which are now blocked. First Floor There is a large splayed twin-light rectangular window with flat rear arch and window seats, now mostly missing, and a splayed round-headed door, now missing its rear arch, in the south wall. This must have led to an external wooden stairs or balcony, supported on corbels which are now missing, although some survive on the upper floors. In the south east angle is a rectangular door leading to a narrow passage in the thickness of the east wall which projects to the south beyond the line of the south wall; this may have formed a stair turret with spiral stairs to upper floor but now is partly rebuilt and no trace of the stairs is evident. In the east wall was a large fireplace, now missing; the chimney flue rises up through second and third floors. There is also a small wall-cupboard beside the fireplace. The west wall is featureless apart from a possible blocked opening. Second floor There is a large splayed twin-light ogee-headed window in the south wall with window seats and a round headed doorway with flat rear arch. Two corbels are visible externally just below the door to the east and possibly another to the west which may have supported a balcony/stairs. Both window and door are spanned by a single segmental arch. In the east wall is a rectangular door, leading to the stair turret, and wall cupboard beside the chimney flue. The west wall has a blocked flat lintelled door, apparently original, although one jamb is modern. Third floor The south wall has a splayed twin-light ogee-headed window with a flat/segmental rear arch and window seats and a rectangular door with flat lintelled rear arch. No definite corbels to support a stairs or balcony are visible on this level externally although there is a projecting stone on the west side of the second floor door just below the arch and another projecting stone on the west side of the third floor door itself. Just above the door, to the west is a drainage chute. In the east wall is a rectangular door leading to the stair turret and a wall cupboard beside the chimney-flue. The stair turret rises only to third floor level; on ground, first and second floors, moreover, the east wall continues south beyond the stair turret. Fourth floor Externally the south wall rises uniformly (i.e. there is no gable) to a height of 11.5m but internally there is a stepped flat topped gable built against the outer wall. In this gable is a single light splayed round headed window with a flat/segmental rear arch and window seats. It would appear that the roof rested on this gable and that the east and west walls did not rise any higher than the third floor. On the east wall, north of the chimney a pediment supports a slightly thickened wall, possibly a wall walk around the base of the roof with external parapet. On both east and west walls this parapet rises sharply, by c.2.5m, one metre south of the south wall to provide a higher parapet for the south wall with gable end’. Described by Harbison (1970, 152) as; 'The somewhat disappointing walls of a four-storey house built by a Limerick merchant named Fanning in the late 16th or early 17th century. It has unusually wide windows. Another building was added to the house later'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 18 April 2018
- LI005-017005: House - medieval, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017005-. Medieval building listed as House A and described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 262-3) as following; 'A short stretch of wall between the Garda Station (Nos.32-3) and No.34 Mary Street may be the wall of a medieval house. It is built of roughly coursed rubble limestone c.3.5m long and 5.5m high with a batter c.2m high. It has a projecting dressed corbel at 4.5m and a segmental (relieving) arch near this'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 14 November 2019
- LI005-017006: House - medieval, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017006-. Medieval building listed as House B and described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 263) as following; ‘Two walls of a house between Nos. 35-36 and 37-38 Nicholas St are probably the side walls of a medieval house. They are built of roughly coursed rubble limestone some 7m high. The south wall is 1.5m thick. There is a round headed doorway with chamfered limestone jambs in the north wall between Nos.35-6'. This house was added to the Register of Historic Monuments on the 17/06/1994. Excavations carried out at 36-39 Nicholas St and No.'s 1-3 Peter St by Celie O'Rahilly under licence No. 94E0071 ext. were summarised as following; 'The site was within the Englishtown, on the east side of Nicholas Street and north of Peter Street. The latter, positioned opposite the northern end of St Mary's Cathedral, was formed between 1840 and 1870 and presumably was so named as it led to Peter's Cell, off Bishop's Street to the east. Nicholas Street was the main street and has its origins in the medieval town. There were four properties in the site, Nos 36-39 (consisting of two buildings, each subdivided into two units), facing onto Nicholas Street, and a range of three cottages extending down the northern side of Peter Street. Building 1 (Nos 36 and 37), to the north, was a three-storey, two-bay building, 9.5m deep by 6m wide. The front wall, on Nicholas Street, was a mixture of brick- and blockwork. The rear wall was mass concrete. These units were inserted between the standing remains of two stone side-walls of a late medieval house, the southern one containing, at first-floor level, the sides and part of the lintel of a late medieval fireplace. The sides were finely carved limestone, with the eastern side intact but the western side damaged. It was obvious from the vertical building breaks in the two side-walls that the walls of the medieval house did not originally extend as far as the present street line but c. 4m short of it. Between the two side-walls, towards the rear of the property, were the remains of a vaulted undercroft (Excavations 1994, 58-9; Excavations 1995, 56). The Urban Archaeology Survey also mentions 'a round headed doorway with chamfered limestone jambs in the north wall between Nos. 35/36' (Bradley et al. c. 1989-90, 263, House B). At the rear of the property was another building, of which only the northern gable and eastern side-wall survive. Building 2 (Nos 38 and 39), to the south, was a two-storey, two-bay building at the corner of Nicholas Street and Peter Street. The original building was 8.5m wide and 6.5m deep. At the rear the northern unit had a lean-to (total depth 3.5m and 1.5m wide) against the party wall with a tiny open space beyond it. The remainder of the area was covered with an extension, measuring 7m north-south by 3.75m, accessed from Peter Street. The Peter Street range consisted of three single-storey houses (artisan dwelling type), each with a central door and one window on either side. All opes were defined with brick arches set in stone walls. The total length was 21.5m, and they were 5m wide. At the rear, between the house walls and the party wall to the north, were sheds/outhouses. The three houses were at the same floor level, which was at street level at the west end of the street, but, given the drop in the latter, there was a flight of five steps to the footpath at the eastern end of the third house. Both the Peter Street cottages and the building on the corner were built between 1840 and 1870, but Nos 36 and 37 dated to the 1930s. The recent work on this site, in April 1999, following the demolition of Nos 36 and 37, consisted of a cutting, Cut 9, and limited access to the undercroft. A report was prepared incorporating an account of all the archaeologically supervised work done, together with historical and cartographic research, 18th-century descriptions and a brief inventory of comparative structures in Limerick. The standing remains of the medieval walls were recorded photogrammetrically, and structural analysis by an architectural historian is pending. Cut 9 was 2.3m east of the front wall, parallel to the dividing wall of Nos 36 and 37, and extended eastwards as far as the mass concrete back wall. There was a possible cross-wall 5m from the front of the property. It was very poorly built, with a layer of soft, cement-like substance with underlying brick, and its total width was 1m. Given its instability, it appears unlikely to have been load-bearing. West of this wall the cut was 2.7m long and 1.4m wide. There was 2m of rubble overlying soft, brown, silty fill with a high bone content. This may be of archaeological significance, although no finds were recovered that could be used to date it. Given the unstable nature of the rubble fill, no further digging was done. To the east of the cross-wall the cut was 1.6m wide and 2.7m long, and the fill consisted of a high amount of large stones, slabs and brick. The base of the back wall was 1.3m below the floor level and was set on a stone plinth from the base of which a cut and carved stone was recovered, identical to one in situ in the mantelpiece. The dividing wall of Nos 36 and 37 defined the southern side of the cut. To the west of the cross-wall it was of a very poor quality, mainly brick, which curved vertically, possibly because it was vaulted (?cellar). It was 1.6m high. East of the cross-wall it was built with 0.25m of concrete overlying courses of brick. The total exposed height was 0.45m. Given the instability of the dividing wall, it is unlikely that the 1930s buildings had separate cellars. It is possible, however, that there was a single cellar for the building they replaced, with an arched longitudinal dividing wall. The underlying fill was very loose, which would suggest that the preceding building was demolished into an existing cavity. Apart from the dividing wall with possible vaulting, no other cellar walls were identified, and it was not possible for reasons of safety to make a cutting close to the side-walls. Given that the two side-walls relate to the original late medieval house, if there was a cellar belonging to the 18th/19th-century building it is likely that it was a conversion of the existing undercroft, with an extension westwards, as it would have been structurally very difficult to have inserted a cellar at a later stage. The vaulted undercroft was initially identified towards the rear of the property, where its eastern end wall was found. This consisted of a blocked arch, with the blocking done in two parts, northern and southern. The wall itself may be original, but this was not confirmed. At the western end the vault, or at least the central part of it, was partly destroyed by the levelling of the area immediately east of the mass concrete wall of the 1930s building, in order to accommodate the concrete floor of their backyards. It was clear from the accumulation of debris here and on both sides of the eastern end wall that it was backfilled with household-type rubbish that, judging by the pottery, was dumped in the 18th and 19th centuries. The undercroft It had been intended to record the undercroft. To do this it was necessary to reduce the ground level east of the end wall. The access ramp, first made in 1995, extended from the south, through the existing gap in the property wall at the rear of the last house on Peter Street. It then curved westwards down the centre of the plot to meet the arch just north of its centre point, cutting a thick deposit of sand. The front wall of the building at the rear of the property (on the 1840 and 1870 OS plans) was identified during the removal of this fill. Its base was cut into the upper layers of the sand, at a depth of 0.5m, implying that, once the end wall of the undercroft was blocked, the area was infilled with sand before the construction of the house. This building used the end of the northern late medieval wall as its northern gable. Visible in the n
- LI005-017007: House - medieval, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017007-. Medieval building listed as House C and described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 263) as following; ‘The dividing wall between Nos. 2 and 3 Nicholas St, 6-7m high and 90cm thick, is built of roughly coursed rubble limestone. On the north face at a height of 6m is a projecting corbel face at a height of 4m is a projecting in dressed limestone. A similar moulding face of the wall between Nos.3 and 4. Residents stated that these walls are part of an "Augustinian Church" but are more likely to have been the walls of a private house'. This house was added to the Register of Historic Monuments on the 17/06/1994. Excavations carried out here in 1994 by Celie O'Rahilly under licence No. 94E072 were summarised as following; 'This site is located on the west side of Nicholas St. within the Englishtown and is erroneously identified as "St Nicholas Abbey" on the OS 1840 map and "St Nicholas's Abbey, (remains of)" on the 1870 edition. There was no St Nicholas Abbey in Limerick, but there was a medieval parish church [LI005-017114-] dedicated to St Nicholas further north where the "Widows Alms Houses" are now, immediately south of King John's Castle [LI005-017014-]. The church was demolished after the siege of 1692 and the Alms Houses built by the then Corporation. The substantial walls stretching east-west along this site are, in fact, the remains of two late medieval castellated town houses which fronted onto Nicholas St. Three cuttings were opened: the first in No. 3, the second in No. 6 and the third to the rear of No. 5. The first two were infilled cellars. It was hoped that the third would be undisturbed but this was, in fact, infilled with cut stone masonry rubble. It appears that it was also originally cellared. Judging by the quality of the stone - some architectural fragments were found and an arched doorway in the northernmost wall was noted by the Urban Survey - the rubble may be from the late medieval houses which were partly demolished prior to houses being built in the 1930s. Unfortunately, most of the dividing wall (between Nos. 4 and 5), which had survived the various rebuilds of this site, was demolished in 1992, under the Dangerous Buildings Act, as was part of the northernmost wall where the door is located. The southern wall which is the wall of the house to the south of the site was in very poor condition and was recently repaired. No archaeological deposits were identified within the cuttings. The surviving late medieval walls are to be retained within the new development' (www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 14 November 2019
- LI005-017008: House - medieval, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017008-. Medieval building listed as House G and described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 264) as following; ‘Some "fragments of medieval walls, with windows" were noted by Westropp (1904-5, 360) on what is now the site the Gerald Griffin Memorial School (CBS), Bridge St. The wall in question forms the south-east angle of the school yard and is plastered over internally concealing any features. Externally, the south wall forming the rear wall of Des Bourke’s premises (No. 3 George’s Quay) is overgrown with ivy and no features are visible. The only visible features are on the east wall, on the lane running north-south between George’s Quay and Court House Lane; here there is a fragment of wall, c.3m long and 6m high which has a blocked, segmentally arched door at ground level and a row of dressed limestone quoins (possibly a window jamb) at the south end. The masonry is of roughly coursed rubble limestone. Westropp mistakenly believed that this was part of an Augustinian monastery'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 14 November 2019
- LI005-017010: Town defences, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017010-. The medieval town defences of Limerick city were described in the Urban Survey (Bradley et. al. 1989, 266-87) as following; 'The documentary references detailed in the historical introduction, above, clearly show that Viking Limerick was defended by walls with towers and gates. The exact course of these walls, however, is unknown and it is not clear if they coincide at some points or not with the late medieval defences of the town whose course can be accurately traced from a number of maps, including the "Hardiman" map of c.1590 (Hardiman Ms. TCD Ms 1209/57, partly reproduced in nineteenth century re-drawing in fig. 56, for the remaining part see Lynch 1984, pl. I), the Pacata Hibernia map of c.1600 (see cover), John Speed’s map of 1610 (fig. 57), Thomas Phillips" view and map of c.1685 (NLI), and the "French" map of 1691 (reproduced in Lenihan 1866, opp. 258). The defences have been the subject of a detailed study by Leask (1941) while the excavations by Lynch (1984) Charlotte’s Quay have shed much new light on the nature and construction of the wall of Irishtown. In terms of documentary references it is clear that works were being carried out on the defences from the thirteenth right through until the seventeenth century. Murage grants are attested from 1237 (Sweetman 1875-86, i, no. 2405) and further grants were made in 1310-11, "to enclose the suburbs" (Tresham 1828, p. 18: no. 134), 1375 (ibid., p. 95: no. 176) and 1400 (ibid., p. 163: no. 118). Work continued on the walls in the fifteenth century and "Cogan’s Tower" on the east side of Irishtown was completed c.1430, information which is derived from a locally kept account, the Arthur Mss (Leask 1941, 103; see edition by MacLysaght in NMAJ 1950-3). From the surviving remains of the citadel, around St John’s Gate and both Phillips" and the French map, it is clear that there was substantial rebuilding of the walls in the seventeenth century also. The English Town The defences of the English Town have their origin in the Viking period but it is clear that these defences developed and changed their outline over time. The precinct of the Dominican Friary, for instance, was evidently outside the walls originally and was incorporated, perhaps in the late thirteenth century. Phillips" map and the Hardiman map of c.1590 show an infra-mural wall running down along Dominic Street and Bishop Street. This may well mark the site of the original Viking defences. There is also the possibility that there was a cross wall stretching from the Shannon on the west, along Newgate Lane to the town wall, on the east, bisecting the English Town. This is shown on Phillip’s map and the Newgate itself is depicted on the Hardiman map (c.1590) and on Speed’s map (1610). The origin and purpose this wall and gate is unclear. At first sight it is tempting to interpret it with the wall that ran along Dominic St and Bishop St as part of the Viking defences, but this would omit St Mary’s Cathedral from the Viking town. Alternately, if one suggests that this cross-wall was the northern limit of the Viking town, then the churches of St. Munchin and St. Nicholas, as well as the probable site of the Viking royal fortress (the castle), would be placed outside the town. Since neither of these explanations is satisfactory all that can be said about the Newgate and cross-wall is that its purpose remains a puzzle. Apart from the gates described below one other, Bow Lane Gate, is mentioned by Leask and he has located it on the north side of Augustine Place. Description The following description takes the castle [LI005-017014-] as its starting point and works its way clockwise around the English town. The position of the wall, towers and gates is marked on fig. 62. From the north west tower of King John’s Castle the wall ran northward to Thomond Gate. No fragment of this short section survives. Thomond and Bridge Gates Philip’s view shows a square tower while the Pacata Hibernia view and Speed’s map (1610) show rectangular towers at either end of the bridge. The Bridge Gate, indicated on the O.S. map as "Thomond Gate" appears to have stood on the west bank of the Shannon, while Thomond Gate itself stood on the east side (Leask 1941). The wall immediately north Castle St is missing but the section along the graveyard is intact and consists of medium sized blocks of very roughly dressed limestone roughly coursed. The wall probably also survives in the houses numbered 1-4 Verdant Place as their west walls display a definite, though slight, external batter. Five metres north of these buildings the wall is stepped back and the angle thus formed has dressed limestone quoins. About 15m north of this is a semi-circular mural tower. The wall between Castle St. and this tower is c.5.1m high externally and at least 1.05m thick; internally, however, the ground is almost level with the top of the wall. Tower 1 This has an external diameter of 6.3m (N-S). The walls are 3.8m high externally but internally the ground level is built up leaving only a wall 1m high and 55cm thick which is probably modern above ground. No internal or external features are visible. North of this tower there is a wall c.2.5m high above external ground level which retains the gardens of the Villiers Alms Houses. This wall seems to be modern but almost certainly follows the line of, and may well incorporate parts of, the original town wall. Some 45m north of the first tower is another mural tower forming the north-west angle of the town defences. Tower 2 This was probably semi-circular but the north end is missing. It has an external diameter of 6.5m. The walls are 4.8m high externally and 2.1m internally. A ledge (?wall-walk) 90cm wide occurs c.1m above ground level internally and may be original. A long arrow loop (now blocked) facing north-west is visible externally; others may be obscured by ivy. The wall running north-east from this tower towards Dominick St is modern. Island Gate This gate stood where Dominick St met the city wall. It was a rectangular structure with a small turret (Leask 1941, 98). It is shown on the maps of 1590 (TCD), 1690-91 (French) 1691 (French B.M.) as a square or rectangular tower. The 1590 map seems to show a projecting turret. The next section of wall which ran parallel to Island Road from Island Gate is missing. A fosse appears to be indicated on the 1590 map between Island Gate and Peter’s Cell. The present Island Road presumably runs just outside the line of this fosse. Tower 3 A mural tower is indicated on the north-east angle of the wall. It may have been the tower/gate which stood at the bend at the north end of Love Lane. The 1590 map almost seems to show the wall turning north for a short stretch to meet this gate but French maps of 1690-91 show it as a rectangular tower with projecting turret on the wall. Colles" map of 1769 shows it a short distance south east of Love Lane. A length of wall, c.7m high externally and 4m internally immediately south of this tower, survives in the gardens of St Mary’s Convent. It is 1.4m thick and has an external base batter 1.3m high. The masonry is of large dressed blocks of limestone, roughly coursed externally, while the internal face is missing but reveals a rubble core. Running south-west from the north end of the wall is another wall c.9.5m long and containing two unsplayed pointed arched doorways with dressed limestone jambs, one with bar hole and pointed rear arch: the other, which is blocked, has a pointed rear arch of brick. This wall clearly post-dates the break in the town wall against which it is built. The condition of the wall deteriorates towards its southern end, decreasing in height (to c.2.2m) and in thickness because the internal wall facing is missing. There is a splayed rectangular loop of uncertain date; between 21m and 25m from the north there are two rectangular windows splayed internally and externally with pointed rear arches. The jambs are of sandstone and are chamf
- LI005-017014: Castle - Anglo-Norman masonry castle, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017014-. National monument No. 288. The Anglo-Normans first established a presence in Limerick in 1171 when Donal O’Brien, King of Limerick and Thomond, paid homage to King Henry II at Cashel, and afterwards King Henry II sent ‘Keepers’ to Cork and Limerick (Furnivall 1896, 60). In 1175, Donal O'Brien, King of Limerick, rebelled against the King of England and Raymond le Gros assembled an army of 120 men-at-arms, 300 horse solider and 400 archers on foot and marched on the 1st of October to attack Limerick (Scott and Martin 1978, 149-53). In 1217, King Henry III granted Reginald de Breouse [Braose], 'custody of the castle and city of Limerick, to hold till the K.'s 14th year' (Cal. doc. Ire. No. 787, 118). In this year the King notified the 'knights, free tenants, and others on the lands of William de Breouse in Ireland, that Reginald de Breouse having come to his fealty, the K. restores to him all the lands which belonged to his father ere Meyler Fitz Henry, then justiciary of Ireland, divided them between Munster and Desmond' (Cal. doc. Ire. No. 786, 118). In 1223 King Henry III granted Richard de Burgh the seneschalship of Munster along with the castle of Limerick with the condition that he serve as the king's bailiff under the justiciary (Cal. doc. Ire. No. 1114, 170). The royal castle of Limerick known as King John’s (1199-1216) Castle was described in the Urban Survey (Bradley et. al. 1989, 288-99) as following: ‘Work on this castle appears to have commenced in the first decade of the thirteenth century possibly on the site of the "fort" (LI005-017124-) referred to in the Cogadh Gaedhel re Gaillibh (Todd 1867, 81). There was a substantial building here by 1211-12 because the Irish pipe roll of John states that £733 16s. 11d. was needed for repairs to the castle (Davies and Quinn 1941, 69; Sweetman 1980, 1327). Substantial repair works were also carried out in 1327 (Tresham 1828, 35: no. 34) but by 1585 the castle was again in need of considerable repair (Sweetman 1980, 208). Further repairs were carried out in 1608, 1618 and 1624 (ibid.). The castle is situated on the west perimeter of English Town overlooking the Shannon and Thomond Bridge. It is based on a rough quardangle, measuring 75m north-south by 65m east-west externally. It originally had round towers at each angle and a large twin-towered gatehouse in the centre of the north wall. The buildings have been considerably modified, most of the towers and curtain wall have been lowered and topped with modern parapets. The south-east angle tower is completely missing and was replaced in the early seventeenth century by a rectangular bastion which itself survives only in a fragmentary state. The east curtain wall is entirely missing, while the west curtain wall is not visible above ground internally although much of it is visible externally where ground level is lower. The masonry of all phases consists of coursed limestone rubble. Much of the original masonry displays alternating courses of large blocks and small pinnings while the doors and windows have jambs of red and yellow sandstone. Gatehouse The castle is entered through a gatehouse of twin D-shaped towers (overall width 21.5m externally)with, originally, a barrel-vaulted chamber 7.3m wide (externally) behind the entrance passage. The towers are of three floors. The west tower is 17.6m high externally of which the upper 2.1m is modern parapet. The east tower is 15.5m high of which the upper 1.2m is modern parapet. Both have basal batters, 1.5m and 2m high respectively. On the ground floor is an entrance passage c.2.5m wide leading to a door with a pointed arch and dressed sandstone jambs, which is c.5m high internally but externally is approached by a modern stairs rising from street level, 2-3m below. The door was protected by a portcullis and a murder hole, concealed behind a round arch some 12m high between the towers externally. Each of the flanking towers has a round chamber, whose interiors are plastered, making it difficult to distinguish between original and later masonry. The west chamber is entered from the castle yard through an unsplayed doorway with segmental rear arch on the south; three tall splayed loops with dressed sandstone jambs and segmental rear arches, which seem to be of brick, face west, north and east respectively. The east chamber is entered from the castle yard through a tall pointed doorway whose chamfered sandstone jambs seem to be modern; the pointed rear arch is of brick. Two splayed loops, with sandstone jambs and segmental rear arches face west and north. All that remains of the chamber behind the entrance passage are the north returns of the east and west walls, c.6.5m high with the line of a barrel vault c.6m high in between,in the south wall of the gatehouse. It would appear that the only approach to first floor level was from the wall-walk of the curtain wall to the west, unless it was, as it is now, by means of an internal wooden stairs within the towers. The two tower chambers are circular, with modern floors supported on ledges in the walls. The west chamber is entered from the curtain wall through a modern round headed door on the west via a short passage with pointed vault in which there are traces of plank centering. This passage overhung the curtain wall to the north. Two splayed loops, with sandstone jambs and pointed rear arches with plank centering face north-west and north-east. On the south east is another modern round-headed door and a passage with pointed vault leading to a balcony occupying the space above the entrance. A portcullis chamber presumably originally occupied this space and perhaps first floor level of the structure behind the entrance. At the E end of the balcony is another passsage with pointed vault entering the east chamber through a pointed door (probably modern) on the south-east. The chamber is lit by a splayed loop with sandstone jambs and segmental rear arch facing north-west and a twin-light rectangular window with chamfered limestone jambs, in a large flat lintelled embrasure with modern window seats facing north-east. On the south-east a round headed doorway leads to a spiral stairs giving access to the upper floors, located at the junction of the east side of the tower with the north curtain wall. The second floor chambers are circular with modern roofs, flat in the east chamber, domed in the west chamber. This is approached through the mural stairs in the east from which the east chamber is entered through a modern rectangular doorway on the south-east. The chamber is lit by a splayed loop with sandstone jambs and a modern pointed rear arch facing north-west, while on the south-west is a modern rectangular doorway leading to a balcony connecting the east and west towers, which has on its south side a modern open arcade of three round-headed arches. The west chamber is entered from the balcony through a modern rectangular door on the south-east. It is lit by a modern twin-light rectangular window with chamfered limestone jambs and segmental rear arch facing south (the wall on the south is refaced, if not rebuilt, externally), a modern broad segmental arched window splaying externally and internally with limestone jambs and segmental rear arch facing west and a splayed loop with sandstone jambs and a broad modern segmental arched window with limestone jambs, both set within the same large embrasure with segmental rear arch facing NNW. The spiral stairs in the east tower rises to roof level, where it terminates in a modern turret c.2.5m high. Both towers are topped by modern parapets above string courses; that on the east tower is low (c.lm high) and broad, while that on the west tower is taller (c.2.1m high) and has four crenels. Over the entrance is a passage connecting the towers. NE Tower A D-shaped tower, at present of one floor, with wall-walk above but originally of at least two floors. It is 13.4m in maximum external width, and c.13m high o
- LI005-017015: Cathedral, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017015-. The cathedral church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the city of Limerick was described in the Urban Survey (Bradley et. al. 1989, 300-15) as following; 'The cathedral appears to have been established at the Synod of Rathbressail in 1111 (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 90) but the earliest parts of the present structure date to c. 1180-95 (fig. 61; Leask 1955-60, ii; Clapham 1952, 29). This late twelfth century building was essentially a cruciform structure consisting of nave, chancel, transepts and side aisles. A number of side-chapels were added in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and these have obscured somewhat the original cruciform plan; they have caused considerable alteration to the side aisles and a large tower has also been added onto the west end of the nave. There have also been extensive modern restorations, especially in the chancel. The masonry of all medieval phases is roughly coursed rubble limestone, but the original work is distinguished by the use of sandstone quoins and mouldings in contrast to the limestone of the later phases. Choir Externally the walls are c.10m high with the east gable rising to c.14-15m. The angles retain the original sandstone quoins and a battered plinth below a roll moulding in sandstone at the base. Angle buttresses in limestone ashlar, of late medieval date, have been added. The walls are topped with stepped battlements above a parapet c.2.5m high also of late medieval date, which are carried on moulded sandstone corbels which Hewson (1944, 55, 58) interpreted as the original cornice. The east window and much of the east wall is modern. The window consists of three graduated lancets set in a large pointed embrasure, with a modern reredos below. Most of the north wall is occupied by the large pointed recess of the late seventeenth century Thomond monument, which is flanked by two contemporary ogee-headed doorways. The doorway to the east has chamfered jambs and arch while that to the west, which is larger, has a double ogee chamfer on the east side and a plain chamfer with pyramidal stops bearing spiral ornament on the west side. The west side of the door seems to be of earlier date (late 15th/16th century) than the east side. At the east end of the north wall were two tall, twin-light windows, having pointed rear arches with chamfered jambs which were largely destroyed by the insertion of the Thomond monument. The easternmost window had pointed twin-lights with a multi-foiled rosette above. The south wall also has two twin-light windows at the east end, corresponding to those in the north wall; the easternmost window is modern with pointed lights and rosette above while the westernmost (which is blocked externally by the wall of a later chapel) has ogee-headed lights. Below the windows is a pointed recess containing the credence table; the arch was originally of two orders but only the outer survives, having limestone mouldings with three rolls, the outer two filleted and with a hood moulding consisting of a large filleted roll and a smaller roll. The arch springs from short columns above the mensa; the columns are engaged marble shafts, banded near the top and flanked by filleted rolls with moulded capitals and bases. The marble mensa is largely replaced by a modern one but it had a roll moulding at the edge and a chamfered underside. It is supported by filleted nook-shafts on the outer angles and inside these by short columns with moulded capitals and bases, the capitals having nail head and cable ornament. West of this recess is a modern doorway although the arch may be original. Hewson (1944, 56) noted wall foundations found about 14 feet [4.25m] west of the east wall and suggested that these marked the site of the original reredos of the high altar, behind which was a retro-chair. Crossing There is no evidence for a crossing tower, nor for arches to the chancel or nave. There may have been arches to the transepts originally because there seems to be an original sandstone abacus on the east face of the easternmost pier of the south nave arcade, at a higher level than the abaci on the other nave piers. The present arches, however, are later medieval inserts. They are large pointed arches with chamfered jambs having pyramidal stops bearing spiral and floral ornament, and chamfered soffit ribs springing from corbel shafts, the capitals of which bear low relief foliage decoration. The arches spring from plain hollow chamfered abaci. Nave The north and south walls have four-bay arcades of large pointed arches springing from massive square piers. The piers have sandstone angle-shafts rising from simple round bases, and sandstone abaci which, in most cases, especially in the south arcade, have trumpet scalloping although many are plain and may be replacements. Above the arcades are seven clerestory windows arranged over the apex of each arch and over each intervening pier. The windows are round headed, with chamfered and rebated sandstone jambs and round rear aches, although two of the windows in the north wall have twin trefoil-lights inserted. In the sides of each clerestory window embrasure are rectangular openings for a mural walk-way around the north, south and west sides of the nave. This is reached via a spiral stairs in the west wall, while spiral stairs at the east end of both the north and south walls originally led to the roof (Westropp 1898, 114). In the west wall is a round-headed door of four orders, in sandstone. The door is largely a reconstruction of the 1890s and Westropp (1898, 113) states that only the inner order and the hood moulding are original. The inner order has a plain arch and jambs of quarter round section with moulded bases and capitals having worn traces of foliate decoration. The 2nd order is chamfered with pendant chevrons in relief on the arch, incised horizontal zig-zag lines on the jambs, and moulded bases and capitals with foliate interlace in low false relief. The third and fourth orders are similar to the first, although the arch of the fourth order has alternating petal and gargoyle motifs in relief. The hood moulding is chamfered with foliate stops. The door has a round rear arch, outlined by a large pointed roll moulding in sandstone. The door is flanked by projecting buttresses, the southernmost of which contains the spiral stairs leading to the clerestory wall-walk. The stairs are entered from the nave through a round-headed doorway with chamfered sandstone jambs and flat lintelled rear arch, in the west wall. The stairs are lit by two splayed loops in the west face of the external buttress, and c.4.5m above ground a segmental-arched doorway leads from the stairs to a mural walk across the base of the west window, and thence via a mural stairs to the clerestory wall-walk in the south wall. The west window consists of three tall, graduated pointed lancets with pointed rear arches; the mouldings are modern. The west gable is missing, due to the insertion of a later tower. Transepts Both transepts have modern stepped gables, c.14-15m high. The SOUTH TRANSEPT is lit by a modern window of five graduated trefoil-pointed lancets, in the south wall. Hewson (1944, 56) suggests this is an imitation of the original window. Beneath the window, internally in the south wall, is a trefoil pointed piscina with twin foliated bowls, and mouldings having three rolls, the central one filleted. West of this is the fifteenth century Bultingfort-Galwey monument, and west of this again is a sedilia with three cusped pointed openings. The arches have multi-moulded jambs and a hood moulding with double ogee chamfer which spring from sugar-barley columns with moulded octagonal capitals and bases. The spandrels of the cusps are decorated, two with foliage, three with a monogram of the leters P and T, and one with a Gothic inscription "IONS BUDSTONS’. Between two of the arches is another monogram of the letters I and B set within a heater shaped shield. Westropp (1898, 38-9) point
- LI005-017016: Graveyard, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017016-. Graveyard belonging to St. Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-) in Limerick City described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 300) as following; 'The cathedral appears to have been established at the Synod of Rathbreasail in 1111 (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 90) but the earliest parts of the present structure date to c. 1180-95 (Leask 1955-60, ii; Clapham 1952, 29)'. A large graveyard (approx. dims. 100m NE-SE x 82m NW-SE) enclosed by a post 1700 stone wall lies to the S and W of the cathedral church. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 25 July 2019
- LI005-017017: Graveslab, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017017-. 14th/15th century graveslab in the Arthur family chapel in St. Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 316) as following; ‘Tapering limestone slab in two pieces under the O’Brien monument in the choir. Decorated in false relief with a two line encircled cross. The slab has four panels with a horse, a winged creature and two horse-like animals with interlaced tails. The tomb was found under the western entrance (Meredyth 1887, 5). The attribution of the tomb to Donal Mor O Briain is fanciful. Dims: L. 1.53m W. 0.53-0.42m. Described by FitzGerald (1910, 128) as following; ' In what is now known as "the Arthur family Chapel", which adjoins the north transept, there are several slabs and fragments of others laid in the pavement. The most interesting one is a narrow brown slab bearing animals, foliage, and a cross, all cut in bold relief. According to tradition this slab, which measures 5 feet [1.5m] in length, marked the grave in the choir of Donal "more" O'Brien, King of Limerick, and founder of St. Mary's (circa 1172), who died in 1194. It is not quite correctly illustrated in the Rev. J. Dowd's History of the Cathedral, as the animals necks are not shown crossing over the shaft on the cross; this error also appears in our Journal, vol. iii, p. 88'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 15 November 2019
- LI005-017018: Cross-slab, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017018-. 14th/15th century cross slab in St. Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 316) as following; ‘Black limestone slab set into a tomb transept. It has an incised two-line on a fleur-de-lis base and the head of the cross. Dims: L. 2.33m W. 0.63m T. 0.08m'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 15 November 2019
- LI005-017019: Wall monument, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017019-. 15th century wall monument in S transept of St. Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 316-7) as following; ‘Bultingfort and Galwey. Large tomb niche consisting of a cinquefoil arch rising from piers with a pedimented hood above, richly and moulded and terminating in an elaborate finial. There are three armorial tablets, one of Bultingfort and two of Galwey. An inscribed panel is set into the wall at the back of the niche and is badly damaged. Gothic lettered inscription: [HIC IACET IN] TUB[A ... VENER]ABILIS [V]IR RICARDUS/ [BULTIG]FORT QUODA ... CIVITATU LIM[ERICI ET]/ CORCAGIE Q [OBI]IT .... ANO DOI MCCCCV .... / HIC IACET ... VENERABILIS VIR GAL[FR]IDU[S]/ GALVEY QUODA CIVIS [CIVI]TATU LIMERICI CORCA[GIE ET]/ VATFORDIE Q OBIT ... DIE JANUARII ANO DO MCCCCXL.. [E]DMU/ DUS FILIUS TALIS GA[LFR]IDI ET MARGARETE FILIE TALIS RCI BULTIGFORT/ ISTA TUBA FIERI [FECER]UT In 1907 this wall monument was described by FitzGerald (1910, 133-5) as following; 'The Galwey Monument in the South Transept. ' The following description of this interesting monument is taken from an account of it written by Mr. T. J. Westropp in the "Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland" for 1898, consecutive volume xxviii : 'About the middle of the fifteenth century, Edmund, son of Geoffry Galwey, and Margaret, daughter of Richard Bultingfort, erected a handsome tomb in memory of their relatives in the south transept. The monument consists of a low, cinquefoil arch, the cusps of which enclose triangular designs of foliage, while their points ended in leaves. It rests on octagonal piers of clumsy design, two on each side, and has a lofty angular hood richly crocketed and moulded, and ending in an elaborate finial. To each side a buttress with a rich terminal rests on a corbel adorned with a small angel holding a blank shield. ' Three armorial tablets are set in this monument; the first, in the tympanum above the recess, has the letters "S.R.B." (Scutum Ricardi Bultingfort), and, below this, the arms, a fess engrailed with a label of five points in chief. The second, to the left, "S.G.G." (Scutum Galfridi Galwey). Arms, for Galwey—A cross, over it a bend, impaling a double eagle displayed. The third, to the right. "S.E.G." (Scutum Edmundi Galwey). The Galwey arms, impaling for Arture a chevron between three clarions. There are traces of dark-red and blue-grey paint on these carvings. Of a much later date is a tablet overhead ; it displays as crest the chained cat of the De Burghos. Arms quarterly :— 1st—Galwey. 2nd—A double eagle displayed. 3rd—Baltingfort. 4th—Ball's Bridge. 'Below it, in strangely combined capitals LVMNIA (sic) QVAE LECTOR TVI (sic) CERNNVT (sic) HISCE IOHANI MVRIS SCVLPTA SACEIS QVADRAT INSIGNIA GALWEY. [I.e., Reader, what thy eyes behold graven on these walls are the armorial bearings of John Galwey.] A long tablet is embedded in the back wall of the recess. The middle is much injured; Ireton's soldiers are reputed to have defaced it out of hatred to Sir Geoffrey Galwey, mayor of the city in 1652. It is most improbable that Puritans who spared the shields, and still more the figures, of angels on the corbels and the crosses on the sedilia, deliberately defaced an unobtrusive black-letter inscription which probably none of them could read. More probably the heat of a memorial lamp hanging in the recess injured and cracked the tablet. 'Mr. Westropp adds that an inventory of Geoffrey Galwey's goods was taken on January 5th, 1445, and his Will was proved seven days later, so that his death took place between the 1st and the 5th of January in that year ; he had live sons, viz, :—Richard, Geoffry, Edmund, Walter, and William; the second son, Geoffry, was ancestor of the Galweys Baronets. The Richard Bultingfort mentioned in the first half of the above inscription was married to Katherine Roche, who proved his Will before Bishop Cornelius O'Dea on the 1st August, 1406. The Will was dated the day after either the 1st or 8th of March (i.e., the day after the Feast of St. Senan), 1405'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 15 November 2019
- LI005-017021: Graveslab, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017021-. 15th century graveslab of Cornelius O'Dea in St. Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 317-8) as following; ‘Cornelius O’Dea. 1434 (restored 1621). An undecorated limestone slab which is said to have held the recumbent effigy of O’Dea is on the south side of the choir and a seventeenth century inscription is on the front panel: HAEC EST EFFIGIES REVEREDISSIMI VIRI CORNELII O’DAE/ QUONDAM EPISCOPI LYMERICENSIS QVI AD MONVMENTVM/ HOC NOVVM EPISCOPORVM LYMERICENSIVM AD/ PERPETVANDVM MEMORIAM ET HONOREM TANTI PRAESVLIS/ TRANSLATVS FVIT VT HIS CVM FRATRIBVS SVIS REQVIESCERET/ 14 DIE IVLII ANO DOMINI 1621 REMOTVS AVTEM HVC FVIT/ SVMPTIBVS NOBILISSIMI HEROIS DONATH COMITIS THOMONIAE/ TVNC HONORATISSIMI DOMINI PRAESIDENTIS PROVINCIAE MOMONAE Described by FitzGerald (1910, 125-6) as following; 'On the opposite side of the choir is a plain, limestone monument resembling an altar- tomb, which is said to have borne the robed and mitred effigy of a bishop, but of which not a trace now exists. Cornelius O'Dea was Bishop of Limerick from 1400 to 1426. On the front of the tomb is cut the above inscription. Translation from the Rev. J. Dowd's History of the Cathedral, "This is the effigy of that most reverend man, Cornelius O'Dea, formerly Bishop of Limerick, who, to perpetuate the memory and honour of so great a prelate, was transferred to this new burial place of the Bishops of Limerick, that here he might rest with his brethren, on the 14th day of July, 1621. But his body was removed hither at the charge of that most noble hero Donat, Earl of Thomond, then the Most Honourable Lord President of the Province of Munster'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 15 November 2019
- LI005-017022: Graveslab, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017022-. 16th century graveslab in St. Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 322) as following; ‘’Thomas and Peter Creagh. 1497 & 1546. Limestone slab with Gothic lettered inscription, in the Arthur chapel: ORATE P AIA THOME CREAGH FILII DAVID Q/ OBIIT V DIE IUNII Ao 1497 ET P AIA …./ UXORIS EI ET P AIA PETRI CREAGH FILII EOR Q/ OBIIT NO DIE MAII AD 1546 (Fitzgerald 1910, 128; Talbot 1976, 23)'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 18 November 2019
- LI005-017024: Memorial stone, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017024-. 16th century Galfrid Arthur memorial in St. Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 318) as following; ‘Galfrid Arthur wall memorial. 1519. Rectangular limestone slab decorated in high false relief with a Gothic lettered inscription. Attached to the wall in a trefoil tomb niche in the north transept: HIC IAC I TUMULI FUDO SBLAT A MUDO/ GALFRID ART:UE THE QOND ISTI ECCIE/ XVI LUCE MAYA REQIET I PACE PPETUA/ ANO CEIT DNI Mo Vc XIX/ TU TNSIES CAVE QD HIC DICES PR ET AVE Dims: L. 1.56m x W. 0.65m Translation from Canon Meredyth's "Guide to the Cathedral" - Here lies in the bottom of the tomb, withdrawn from the world, Geoffry Arthur, formerly Treasurer of this Church. He rested in perpetual peace on the 16th light of May, in the year of the Crucified Lord 1519. Thou who passest by take heed that thou sayest here a Pater and an Ave (Fitzgerald 1910, 126)'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 15 November 2019
- LI005-017025: Memorial stone, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017025-. 16th century memorial in the N transept of St. Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 318-9) as following; ‘John Fox. 1519. A mural slab in the north transept, set into a round arched niche, with Gothic lettered inscription: HIC IACET REV ... DUS IOHES FFOX/ QUODA POS SCE CRUCIS Q DIE CLAUSIT/ EXTREMU XXVIII DIE MESIS AUGUSTI/ AN DNI M V XIX CUI AIE PPICIET DEUS' Described by Fitzgerald (1910, 127-8) as following; 'To the right of the last-named monument, and in similar lettering, is a mural slab, which Mr. Dowd states belongs "to a Prior of the Augustinians, whose establishment was also called Holy Cross." The date he incorrectly gives as 1519, whereas it should have been read 1531. With the exception of one word, the inscription is very legible. Can it be that the "dus" at the end of the illegible word is a "dns" or " Dominus," a common Latin title with ecclesiastics? The translation of the inscription would then be — Here lies the Reverend (?) lord John Fox, formerly Prior (?) of Holy Cross, who closed his last day (i.e. died) on the 28th day of the month of August, in the year of Our Lord 1531 ; on whose soul may God have mercy.' Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 15 November 2019
- LI005-017026: Graveslab, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017026-. 16th century graveslab in chapel of St. Nicholas (Arthur Chapel) St. Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 319) as following; ‘Andrew Creagh. Post 1543. Rectangular black fossiliferous limestone slab is in the chapel of St. Nicholas (Arthur). The lower half has a Gothic lettered inscription in deep false relief: HIC IACET MAGISTER/ ANDREAS CREAGH/ H QUONDAM/ ISTIUS ECLESIE/ DECANUS Dims: L. 1.72m W. 0.89m (Talbot 1976, 22-3)'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 15 November 2019
- LI005-017027: Graveslab, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017027-. 16th century graveslab in N transept of St. Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 319) as following; ‘Grave slab. 16th cent. Rectangular limestone slab with a Gothic lettered inscription set into the wall under the "leper squint" in the north transept. Dims: L. 1.84m W.0.7m'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 18 November 2019
- LI005-017028: Armorial plaque, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017028-. 16th/17th century armorial plaque in N side of the chancel in St. Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 319-20) as following; ‘Donogh O’Brien. 16th-17th cent. Square limestone plaque with a chevron between three lions in relief. The name DONOH is inscribed above the arms in Gothic lettering. On the wall to the left of the Thomond memorial (LI005-017029-). The ascription of this monument to Bishop Donough O’Brien is incorrect on chronological grounds. (Talbot 1976, 60)'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 18 November 2019
- LI005-017029: Tomb - effigial, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017029-. 17th century effigial tomb in N side of the chancel of St. Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 320-1) as following; ‘Thomond monument. 1624 (restored 1678) Large wall memorial set in an arch on the north side of the chancel. It consists of three tiers with reclining effigies of Donough O’Brien, 4th earl of Thomond, in the lower tier and his wife, Elizabeth FitzGerald, above. Incised inscription on a slab at the back of the third tier: THIS MONVENT BEING DEFACED IN YE TIME OF YE LATE REBEL/ LION OF IRELAND WAS BY HENRY YE SECOND [sic, ?seventh] EARLE OF THOMOND/ OF ANEVE REEDIFYED AN 1678 IN MEMORY OF HIS MOST NOBLE/ GRANDFATHER DONAGH O’BRIEN EARLE OF THOMOND, BARON/ OF IBREACAN, PRESIDENT OF MVNSTER, & ONE OF HIS MAIS PRI/ VY COVNCIL, WHO HAVING DERIVED HIS TITLES FROM AN AN-/ CIENT & HONOVRABLE FAMILY SOMETIME FOVNDERS OF THIS/ CHVRCH LEFT THEM TO POSTERITY MORE ENNOBLED BY HIS OWN/ VERTVE FOR GIVING EQVALL PROOFES BOTH FOR COVRAGE &/ CONDVCT OF HIS LOYALTY & WORTH HE WAS REWARDED BY YE/ HIGH & MIGHTY MONARCHS QVEEN ELIZABETH & KING/ IAMES WITH HONOVRS ABOWE YE NOBILITY OF HIS TIME The monument is flanked by ionic columns in its lower register with Corinthian columns above. It is surmounted by obelisks and, in the centre, the sculpted arms of the O’Brien's still retaining its colours and gilding. Projecting from the monument on a rod is a coroneted helmet with a barred visor. (FitzGerald 1910, 124-5; Talbot 1976, 83). Described by FitzGerald 91910, 124-5) as following; 'On the north side of the choir is a very large monument in black and white marble, erected by the O'Brien's, Earls of Thomond. It is somewhat similar in style to the Cork and Ranelagh monuments in St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, and, like them, dates from the first half of the seventeenth century. On the base of the monument reclines Donough O'Brien, Earl of Thomond, who died on the 5th September, 1624; and on a tier above him reclines his wife, the Lady Elizabeth FitzGerald, second daughter of Gerald, 11th Earl of Kildare. Both the effigies are much broken. They are carved in sandstone in the elaborate costume of Elizabeth's time. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 18 November 2019
- LI005-017030: Memorial stone, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017030-. 17th century memorial stone in St. Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 321) as following; ‘Bernard Adams. 1625. Limestone monument on south wall of the chancel, above Bishop O’Dea’s tomb. Painted inscription in two compartments BARNARDUS JACET HIC EN ADAMUS PISCOPUS OLIM OMNIA/ NON VIDIT SOLOMIS, AT OMNIA VANA/ SUFFICIENT GOD DID GIVE ME, WHICH I SPENT;/ I LITTLE BORROWED, AND AS LITTLE LENT;/ I LEFT THEM WHOM I LOVED ENOUGH IN STORE/ INCREASED THIS BISHOPRIC-RELIEVED THE POORE/ NEMO MIHI TUMBAM STATUAT DE MARMORE FAXIT/ URNULA EPISCOPOLO SATIS ISTA PUSILLA PUSILLO ANGLI/ QUIS VIVUS FUERAM ET TESTENTUR HYBERNI/ CAELICOLAE QUIS SUM DEFUNCTUS TESTIFICENTUR The side jambs are carved with emblems of the passion. (Talbot 1976, 7)'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 18 November 2019
- LI005-017031: Graveslab, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017031-. 17th century graveslab in the floor of St. Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 321) as following; ‘Floor slab. Creagh 1632. This slab in the Arthur chapel is decorated in high relief with a Gothic lettered inscription: [ORATE] PRO ANIMAB DOMINICI ... ET GENETE CR/ EAGH UXORIS EIVS/ EIVS [sic] QUAE .... 28 NOVEMBRIS 1632 (FitzGerald 1910, 129)'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 18 November 2019
- LI005-017032: Graveslab, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017032-. 1tth century graveslab in St. Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 321-2) as following; ‘Grave slab. Thomas Mahon & Anna Creagh. 1634. Rectangular slab with worn marginal inscription in the baptistry: [ORATE PRO ANIMABUS THOMAE MAHON] QUI OBIIT 10 NOVEMB: 1631/ ET UXOR [ ]/ EIVS ANNA CREAGH [QUAE OBIIT NOVEMB: ] 1634 (FitzGerald 1910, 132)'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 18 November 2019
- LI005-017033: Graveslab, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017033-. 17th century graveslab in St. Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 322) as following; ‘Grave slab Anna Faning 1634. Fragmentary slab in the Arthur chapel with a coat of arms, initials and an incised inscription: ANNA/ FANNING/ UXOR EIVS/ OBIT 13 MAR/ CII'. Described by FitzGerald (1910, 130) as following; 'On a fragment is a shield bearing two coats-of-arms, viz., on the dexter side, a chevron between three birds; on the sinister side, a chevron between three heraldic roses. 'The initials S R W appear above and at the sides of the shield. Upside down to the shield is cut in incised letters ': — ANNA. FANING VXOR EIVS OBIT 13 MAR CII . ANO . DOI 1634'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 18 November 2019
- LI005-017034: Graveslab, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017034-. 17th century graveslab in St. Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 322) as following; ‘Grave slab. Arthur 1649. Large slab with two coats of arms and the initials POA, EPR and the date 1649, is in the Arthur chapel'. Described by FitzGerald (1910, 130)' as following; 'Close to the above is a large slab bearing no inscription, but at the top end is a coat-of-arms—a chevron between three clarions for Arthur, and the initials P O A, 1649. At the foot of the slab is another shield, bearing a lion rampant, and the initials E P R'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 18 November 2019
- LI005-017035: Memorial stone, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017035-. 17th century graveslab in St. Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 322-3) as following; ‘Wall Memorial. Standish Hartstonge 1663. The slab, in the north transept, has an incised Roman lettered inscription: THIS SMAL MONVMENT WAS ERECTED/ BY STANDISH HARSTONGE ESQE RECO/ RDER OF THIS CITTY IN MEMORY/ OF HIS DEARE/ WIFE ELIZABETH YE/ DAVGHTER OF FRANCIS IERMY OF GON/ TON IN THE COVNTY OF NORFFOLKE ESQ BY ALICE HIS WIFE THE DAVGHTER OF SR AN/ THONY IRBY OF BOSTON KNT WHO DYED YE/ 5TH OF IULY 1663 AND LYETH BVRIED IN THIS CHVRCH WHO HAD ISSVE ELEAVEN/ CHILDREN WHEREOF 7 ARE NOW LIVEING/ 1677 Dims: H. 0.72m W. 0.6m T. 0.05m (FitzGerald 1910, 126)'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 18 November 2019
- LI005-017036: Graveslab, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017036-. 17th century graveslab in St. Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 323) as following; ‘Grave slab of John Wools. 1673. Fragmentary limestone slab between the 1st and 2nd pier on the north side of the nave. Incised Roma lettered inscription: HEERE LAYETH/ IOHN WOOLS/ [16]73 Dims: L. 0.42m W. 0.34m’ Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 18 November 2019
- LI005-017037: Memorial stone, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017037-. 17th century graveslab in St. Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 323) as following; ‘William York. 1679. This slab is inserted in a column on the left of the choir: THIS MONUMENT WAS ERECTED BY/ WILLIAM YORKE, TO YE MEMORY OF HIS/ DECEASED FATHER, ALDERMAN/ WILLIAM YORKE, WHO LIES HERE IN/ TERD: WAS THRICE MAOIR: GAVE ABOVE/ FOUR HUNDRED POUNDS FOR BUILDING YE/ EXCHANGE FREELY BESTOWED IT ON THE/ CORPORATION: CONTRIBUTED TO YE BELLS AND/ CHYMES WHICH WERE CAST AND/ SET UP IN HIS MAOIRALTYES: WAS/ CHARITABLE TO THE POORE: CONSTANT/ TO HIS FRIENS: DYED IN THE TRVE CHRI/ STIAN FAITH THE LAST YEAR OF HIS/ MAOIRALTY APRIL 1 1679 AETATIS/ SUAE 42 LEAVING WIELLIAM ROGER/ & JANE HIS ISSUE BY ANNA THE DAVG/ HTER OF HENRY HART ESQ (FitzGerald 1910, 133; Talbot 1976, 108)'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 18 November 2019
- LI005-017038: Memorial stone, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017038-. 17th century graveslab in St. Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 323-4) as following; ‘Wall memorial. Samuel Barinton 1693. Plaque on a pillar near the south entrance: ’MEMENTO MORY/ HERE LEITH LITTELE SAMVELL/ BARINTON THAT GREAT VNDER/ TAKER OF FAMIOVS GIFTES/ CLOCK AND CHIME MAKER/ HE MADE HIS ONE TIME GOE/ EARLY AND LATER, BVT NOW/ HE IS RETURNED TO GOD HIS CREA/ TOR/ THE 19 OF NOVEMBER THEN HE/ SCEST, AND FOR HIS MEMORY/ THIS HERE IS PLEAST BY HIS/ SON BEN 1693 (Fitzgerald 1910, 132-3)'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 18 November 2019
- LI005-017039: Wall monument, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017039-. One of two stone plaques on the Sexten vault in the graveyard (LI005-017016-) of St. Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 324) as following; ‘Plaques in the Sexten vault. In the churchyard. Two plaques, one showing a pelican in piety, the other a seven headed dragon.’ Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 18 November 2019
- LI005-017040: Wall monument, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017040-. One of two stone plaques on the Sexten vault in the graveyard (LI005-017016-) of St. Mary's Cathedral (LI005-017015-) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 324) as following; ‘Plaques in the Sexten vault. In the churchyard. Two plaques, one showing a pelican in piety, the other a seven headed dragon.’ Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 18 November 2019
- LI005-017041: Church, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017041-. The Urban Survey of Limerick recorded the following details about St. John's Church; 'Situated in the south end of the Irish town this is listed among the churches of Limerick in the inquisition of 1201-2 (MacCaffrey 1907, 27, 28). Bishop Donatus O’Brien’s ordinance of 1204-6 specifically describes it as "within the city of Limerick", implying that it was within the walls by that time. It was included among the Limerick churches to which Geoffrey Galwey left a bequest of 6s. 8d. in 1445 (Westropp 1898, 122-3). Thomas Dineley’s sketch of 1680 shows the church as having two aisles with east windows of Gothic tracery (Shirley 1864-6, 435). The central gable had a plain rectangular window set in the arch of an older one. In the north wall were a double light with pointed heads, a single lancet and a pointed door; there was a double bell-chamber on the east gable' (Bradley et. al. 1985, 325). In 1827 the following details were recorded; 'St. John's Church forms one side of the square at the rere of John's-street, in the southern extremity of the city. The precise period of its erection cannot be ascertained, but the foundation was probably coeval with the fortification of the Irish Town in the early part of the fifteenth century. The length of the church from East to West is sixty feet, the breadth sixty-three, and the whole circumference of the church and church-yard is five hundred and fifty feet. In 1763, five hundred pounds were raised, by the voluntary contributions of the parishioners and the sale of pews, with which the church was considerably enlarged and beautified ; and since the occupancy of the present excellent Vicar, the Rev. Mr. Fitzgibbon, a neat organ has been put up and further improvements made which render the church extremely neat and commodious. Before the alterations in 1763, it contained a handsome monument of the Power family, which was surrounded by figures of the twelve Apostles carved in stone, with the family arms, &c. and underneath was the following inscription : THOMAS POWER, quondam civis Limericensis, et ejus uxor JOANNA RICE, hoc monumentum haeredibus suis construxerunt, in quo ambo sepeliuntur. Ora pro eis pius lector Quisquis eris qui transis, Sta, perlege, plora, Sum quod eris, fueramque quod es, Pro me precor ora. Hoc finito, A. D. 1622 Thomas Power, formerly citizen of Limerick, and Joanna his wife, erected this tomb for their posterity, in which both of them are interred. Pious reader, pray for them! Traveller, pause, improve your time, I, like you, have seen my prime, What I am, thou soon must be, Then prepare to follow me. Finished in the year of our Lord, 1622 The original entrance to the church was at the western door; to which it was again transferred, after the building of the square. Over the Eastern entrance in John's-street, was displayed a coat of arms handsomely cut in stone, with the following quaint inscription : Sursum Cor Contritus JOHANNES MURRAY, Aberdonensis Erected this Gate at his own Expences. Johannes Sinclair Sculpsit, 1693. Memento Mori. The inscription on a stone in the church-yard wall nearer to John's-gate, and bearing the same date, informs us that John Ford, Mayor, repaired the walls of this cemetery at his own expense after the havoc of the late siege. The Vicarage of St. John's is in the gift of the Pery family. It has a glebe house, but no glebe land; and the incumbent's income, which is extremely moderate, chiefly arises from the poundage levied on the houses in the Irish Town. According to the census of 1821 the population of the parish amounts to 11,797.' (Fitzgerald 1826-7, 558-60). Westropp gives the following details; 'It is named by Bishop Donat, 1200 and 1201, and many later documents. Fabric - It retains a few portions of the old fabric, though almost entirely remodelled. It measured 60 feet [18.3m] by 63 feet [19.2m], and had aisles. In 1680 Dyneley's sketch shows it as having two side aisles, with east windows, having rich Gothic tracery. The central gable had a plain rectangular window, with shafts, set in the arch of the older one. In the north wall were a double light, with pointed heads, a single lancet, and a pointed door; there was a double bell-chamber on the east gable. Monuments - Before the rebuilding of 1763 there was a fine monument of Thomas and Johanna Rice, 1622, and a tablet of John Foorde, Mayor, 1693, calling the church "Sancti Johannis de Sancta Cruce." Description- Fitzgerald, vol. ii., p. 558' (Westropp 1904-5, 358). Present church described by the National Inventory of Architectural heritage as a 'Freestanding double-height Romanesque style limestone church, built in 1851, on the site of a mediaeval church. Gabled west elevation with centrally-placed Romanesque portal door opening and blind arcade of three round arches at first floor level, and rose window to gable above. Square-plan three-stage tower to southwest corner, with a splay-foot pyramidal limestone spire, rising from nail-head enriched cornice, having foliate fleur-de-lis to corners and capped by foliate finial. Apsidal east end and sacristy to northeast corner. North and south sides comprising four-bay single-storey aisle elevations with clerestorey elevation articulated by shallow piers and an oculus window to each bay. Pitched natural slate roof with ridge comb tiles. Lean-to natural slate aisle roofs and five-sided natural slate apse roof. Site enclosed by rubble boundary wall altered or possibly rebuilt to the southwest side with the insertion of metal railings. Historic boundary wall recently demolished to east side. Located on the site of an eleventh-century church, Saint John's was oriented to address the open north side of John's Square. This important historic site is adjacent to the former John's Gate and the town walls where the existing Citadel is located and incorporated within Saint John's Hospital. The Catholic Cathedral of Saint John's dominates the area to the east. Saint John's was built by the architect Joseph Welland (1798-1860), in the Norman Romanesque style in 1851' (www.buildingsofireland.ie/ Reg. No. 21513039). See attached image of St. John's Church taken from Dineley's Tour of Ireland c. 1680 Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 3 October 2018
- LI005-017042: Graveyard, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017042-. Graveyard belonging to St. John's Church (LI005-017015-) in Limerick City described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 325-6) as following; 'Situated in the south end of the Irish town this is listed among the churches of Limerick in the inquisition of 1201-2 (MacCaffrey 1907, 27, 28). Westropp (1904-5, 358) notes that before the rebuilding of 1763 there was a monument to Thomas and Johanna Rice dated 1622 and a tablet (probably a wall memorial) to John Foorde, Mayor 1693 (now in the graveyard, see Mems Dead viii (1910-12), 372). In addition there was a panel, probably from a table tomb with the symbols of the passion and a second slab with a marginal inscription to "Philip son of Maurice with a shoe and an axe (Mems Dead viii (1910-12), 376-7). The enclosing wall of the graveyard has a plaque with an inscription of 1650 recording money given by John Creagh, David Rochfort and James Bousfield for the "outworks" of the city'. A graveyard (approx. dims. 28m N-S x 41m E-W) enclosed by a stone wall mainly lies to the S of St. John's Church. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 25 July 2019
- LI005-017043: Church, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017043-. The Urban Survey of Limerick recorded the following details about St. Munchin's Church of Ireland Church; 'Situated in the north-west angle of the English Town. Although traditionally regarded as founded by Mainchin himself in the fifth century it is more likely to have been established in the tenth or eleventh centuries as a Christian church within the Hiberno-Scandinavian town. The tradition that it was used as a cathedral by the Limerick Ostmen is unfounded. The church is listed among Limerick in the inquisition of 1200-1 (MacCaffrey 1907, 26, 28) and is mentioned in the ordinance of Bishop Donatus O’Brien (1204-6) as one of the diocesan prebends (ibid., 116, 179n). On his death in 1445 Geoffrey Galwey left 6s. 8d. to St Munchin’s (Westropp 1898, 122-3). The Hardiman map shows the church as a building with aisle, side chapel and tower. The present building dates from 1827' (Bradley et. al. 1985, 328). In 1827 the following details were recorded; 'St. Munchins Church is said to have been founded in the seventh century, by St. Munchin, the first Bishop of Limerick. It was rebuilt by the Danes after their conversion to Christianity, and continued to be the cathedral of the city till after the erection of St. Mary's, when it was converted into a parish church. We have no guide, with respect to its subsequent history, until the commencement of the last century, when we find (in 1711,) the church received some additions and repairs, under the superintendence of Bishop Smyth. It was further improved by the exertions of his family, and in 1752, a gallery was erected at the West end, at the expense of the officers of Col. Aldercron's and Sir Peter Halket's regiments, (the 39th and 44th.) It having been found necessary to rebuild this church, the Rev. John Duddell, the present worthy incumbent, has made considerable exertions for that purpose. The Board of First Fruits have granted a sum of money towards the building, which has already considerably advanced—the remainder is to be made up by voluntary contributions, and we trust, that the citizens of Limerick will liberally assist in edifying their oldest church in a manner conformable to the modern taste for neatness and convenience in public buildings. The site of the church, at the northern extremity of the city, is extremely agreeable: the churchyard, which is 630 feet in circumference, over hangs the Shannon, having the old town wall for its northern boundary, along which is a pleasant elevated terrace-walk, commanding a view of Thomond bridge, the river, and the county of Clare. The old church was a plain building, eighty-six feet in length, by twenty-three in breadth, and destitute of any object of interest, except a fine monument on the south-side of the communion table, over the family vault of Bishop Smyth. St. Munchin's is one of the prebendaries in the gift of the Bishop. It is an entire Rectory, partly in the city, and partly in the county of the city, and united to the Rectories of Kellconygayn, and the Rectory and Vicarage of Killonehan, the whole benefice being valued in the King's books at £2. 13s. 4d. In the parish of St. Munchin there is a glebe house and garden. Killonehan contains 1157 acres, and has a glebe of five acres and a-half, on which are the ruins of an old church. The population of St. Munchin's parish is 3550' (Fitzgerald 1827, 556-8). Westropp gives the following details; 'Parish and Prebend. It is reputed to be the oldest church in Limerick ; and its foundation is attributed to St. Mainchin, son of Sedna, son of Cass (king, 400), who was cousin of Cairthin Finn, the first Christian king, and lived c. 480-500. It was used by the Christianised Ostmen as a cathedral. " Ecc. Sci. Manchini," 1201 ; numerous deeds relate to it. Fabric - It has been rebuilt on many occasions; the present church only dates from 1827. The Hardiman map shows the church as a building with aisle, side chapel, and tower. Monuments - Elinor, daughter of Thomas Young, 1649; Thomas Smith, 1711; Major James Buchanan, 1778. In 1680 Dyneley says that the church was of no interest, save for the monuments of W. Brenagh, 1594, and Jane Smyth, 1679. Description - Fitzgerald, vol. ii,, p. 556' (Westropp 1904-5, 357-8). Present building described by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage as following; 'Detached four-bay Board of the First Fruits Church of Ireland Church, built in 1827, with a square-plan tower to the west elevation, and entrance porch northeast corner. Built on the site of a previous church. Church grounds situated on an outcrop overlooking the Shannon River to the west, and Villiers Alms Houses to the north. Site enclosed by rubble limestone walls with square-plan piers and wrought-iron gates. Pointed-arch pedestrian access from Castle Street with wrought-iron gates leads to grounds via narrow lane. Numerous recumbent stone grave markers and table-tombs of eighteenth and nineteenth century origins. Fine funerary monuments and mausoleums also therein. Saint Munchin's forms a well-proportioned, though standard, Board of the First Fruits Church constructed by James Pain who was the architect to the Board for the Munster region. The Board was set up in 1813 and disbanded in 1834. A single-celled church was originally built on this site. The location of this fine church overlooking the River Shannon, contributes to the ensemble of historic buildings which includes Thomond Bridge, the toll house, and King John's Castle ' (www.buildingsofireland.ie; Reg. No. 21508007). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 3 October 2018
- LI005-017044: Graveyard, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017044-. Graveyard belonging to St. Munchin's Church (LI005-017043-) in Limerick City described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 328) as following; 'Situated in the north-west angle of the English Town. Although traditionally regarded as founded by Mainchin himself in the fifth century it is more likely to have been established in the tenth or eleventh centuries as a Christian church within the Hiberno-Scandinavian town. The Hardiman map shows the church as a building with aisle, side chapel and tower. The present building dates from 1827'. A graveyard (approx. dims. 76m N-S x 54m E-W) enclosed by a stone wall mainly lies to the S and W of St. Munchin's Church. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 25 July 2019
- LI005-017045: Tomb - unclassified, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017045-. 17th century memorial in the graveyard (LI005-017044-) of St. Munchin's Church (LI005-017043-) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 328-9) as following; ‘Elinor Young 1649. A large slab with a marginal inscription to the memory of Elinor, daughter of Thomas Young (1895-7, 104). Described in the late 19th century as following; 'Contains the following tomb and inscription' : "HERE ELINOR YOUNGE HER BODY / LIES OF WHO TIS TRULY SAID SHE AITHER A VIRGIN LIVED / AND ERE DECEAST A MAIDEN. / THE DAUGHTER OF THOMAS AND MARY YOUNGE 26TH FEB. 1649." This inscription is cut round the margin of a very large slab (Anon 1898, 104)'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 18 November 2019
- LI005-017046: Religious house - Augustinian nuns, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017046-. The Augustinian Priory of St. Peter in the city of Limerick (LI005-017----) was described in the Urban Survey (Bradley et. al. 1989, 330) as following; 'Founded by Donal O’Brien for Augustinian Black nuns at about the time of the arrival of the Anglo-Normans (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 322). The priory is shown on the 1590 map as situated between Bishop Street and the town wall (LI005-017010-) in the area known today as St Peter’s Cell. At the time of the dissolution in 1541 the buildings were already ruinous but occupied three-quarters of an acre (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 322). A stone head was discovered in the area in 1946 and Hunt (1949-52,16-7) suggested that the carving, which considered to be Romanesque in style, may have come from the priory. This limestone head is now in the Limerick Museum'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 18 November 2019
- LI005-017047: Religious house - Dominican friars, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017047-. Dominican Priory of St. Saviour described in the Urban Survey (Bradley et. al. 1989, 331-3) as following: 'Founded by Donnchad Cairbreach O’Briain, king of Thomond in 1227 (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 226). The buildings were badly destroyed in an attack on the town in 1369 and were so ruinous that in 1377 the king made an annual grant of 40s towards their repair (ibid.). The 1590 map depicts a lofty belfry ,without battlements, four ranges of buildings in repair and the side arcades or windows of the ruined church. Today only the north wall and a short section of the east wall of the church survives in the grounds of St Mary’s Convent. The masonry is roughly coursed rubble limestone and the wall is 55-60m long (the west end is unclear), up to high and 1.2m thick. The north splay of the east window, with chamfered and rebated jambs of sandstone, can be seen in the east wall and a similar splay can be seen in a short section of wall, north of the north wall, which may have been a window in a sacristy or chapel on the north of the chancel. To the west of this externally there are three segmentally-arched recesses or, perhaps, blocked doorways. Above these there is a groove in the wall, 10m long, 25cms high and 15cms deep (for supporting joists of a floor/ roof). Above the middle recess there is a small segmentally-arched window, which may be inserted, splaying externally with pointed rear arch. 13m from the east end is the gable line of the east range of the cloister, c. 7.25m wide and probably c.10m high originally. It seems to interrupt, and is later than, a drainage course running along the north wall at a height of 8m above which there is a row of drainage chutes. East of this gable is the straight roof line, with three corbels below it, of a building 6m wide built against the north wall of the church and the east wall of the east range. Within the gable of the east range externally is the top of a blocked, round headed door or recess at a very low level with sandstone jambs and limestone arch. Above it, within the gable is a pointed window with dressed and chamfered limestone jambs (arch not dressed) splaying externally with flat lintelled rear arch which seems to be modern. West of the gable, above the roof line of the south ambulatory of the cloister, are five windows at intervals of 3-4m. The first from the east is a pointed lancet with limestone jambs which seems to be modern but re-using dressed stones. The second, fourth and fifth windows are splayed pointed lancets with chamfered and rebated sandstone jambs and pointed rear arches in limestone with sloping sills. The third window is a twin-light, pointed window with quatrefoil above, having similar chamfered and rebated sandstone jambs and rear arch. Below the ambulatory roof-line there are two segmentally arched doorways, 15m apart. The first from the east is blocked internally and has sandstone jambs on one side internally but the other side is constructed of limestone. The other door is largely modern but some of the original limestone jambs and voussoirs remain. In between these two doors internally there is a large blocked segmentally arched recess. Some 26m west of the gable of the east range are traces of the gable of the west range. In the wall below externally there is a segmental (?relieving) arch and a small blocked rectangular Opening. west of this gable the wall is largely rebuilt although traces of another larger rectangular blocked opening is visible externally. Monuments Gathered in the garden are a number of dressed stones including one which appears to be part of a chimney mantle with the initials WMC, heraldic shields and tracery. There is also a stone with the letters SFA and another stone with a fragmentary Latin letttered inscription. Excavation In 1975 work was carried out by Shee-Twohig (1995) in advance of proposed road construction. Three medieval slab-built graves were found and there were indications that a transept existed on the south side of the church. The finds included quantities of English and French pottery and inlaid tiles (Excavations 1975-6, 14; Fanning and Eames 1988, 76). Excavations carried out by Aegis Archaeology under licence No. 00E0661 identified the location of a burial ground (LI005-017121-) associated with St Saviour's Dominican Priory. The results of these excavations were summarised as following; 'Eleven trenches were dug by machine and by hand in an area just south of the medieval Dominican priory, in advance of a proposed development. Five yielded archaeological material. Trenches 1 and 2 exposed the lower courses of the limestone town wall, while human remains were exposed in Trenches 2, 10 and 11. Only those in Trenches 2 and 11 were articulated, in situ and orientated in the usual east–west direction. At the northern end of Trench 10, the foundations of a wall were discovered, which were interpreted as the southern wall of the medieval church of the priory. This wall lay c. 8m from the extant northern wall of the church. The remainder of the trenches showed that the site had been disturbed in the past and the archaeological layers had been removed extensively' (www.excavations.ie). Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 25 November 2019
- LI005-017051: Barracks, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017051-. Leask (1941, 98-9) recorded that during the reing of Charles II (1660-85) a barracks was 'erected on the ground now occupied by St. Mary's Convent and the schools: the space within the great gap. The French map does not show it, while the map of 1786 in Ferrar's History indicates several regular blocks of buildings call "Barracks, later Brewery" '. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 18 November 2019
- LI005-017069: Mill - unclassified, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017069-. Leask refers to Nicholas Arthur's Mill located 'about the middle of the present George's Quay' (1941, 100), which is shown on a late 16th century map of Limerick City (TCD, MS 1209/57). Also Comyn's Mills, it was demolished in 1763 (O'Flaherty 2010, 30) when George's Quay was built (Hill 1991, 82-3). Excavations carried out in the Abbey River under licence No. 98E0581 ext. by Ed O'Donovan on behalf of Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd were summarised as following; 'Over the past year and a half, excavations in advance of construction work associated with the Limerick Main Drainage Scheme have been carried out. The report on the first phase of these excavations (Excavations 1999, 169–71) included brief reports on excavations along George’s Quay and at Broad Street. The Phase I excavations also included an account of the various artefacts recovered from the bed of the Abbey River between Matthew Bridge and Baal’s Bridge. This year the excavations in the riverbed extended from Matthew Bridge to the mouth of the Abbey River, with its junction with the Shannon at Curragour Point, and from Curragour Point in the Shannon to Sarsfield Lock, and also included a short programme of excavation on George’s Quay. Town wall along George’s Quay Two further sections of the medieval town wall were uncovered along George’s Quay (at Manholes E and F). Deep excavation was not required as the construction work was relatively shallow; however, the laying of new pipes along the quay at the junction of Creagh Lane and George’s Quay did reveal a substantial wall running parallel to the quay. The preliminary interpretation of the structure suggested that it formed part of a bastion or building standing proud of the line of the town wall. Structures standing proud of the town wall along the Abbey River are illustrated on the early historic maps of the city (Pacata Hibernia map, Hardiman’s map and Speed’s map). Organic deposits of 16th-century date abutting the structure contained the grain weevil Sitophilus granarius. This insect is a pest of stored grain in particular and is entirely dependent on humans for its dispersal (Eileen Reilly, pers. comm.). These deposits are possibly related to grain stored around Nicholas Arthur’s Mill, depicted on Hardiman’s map (c. 1590) (www.excavations.ie). 16th/17th-century weir in the Abbey River The foundations of an early weir (LI005-017186) were identified in the Abbey River. The structure pre-dates Charlotte’s Quay and Bank Place and is thought -to form a head-race for two mills on either side of the river, one under Bank Place (LI005-017098-) and the other at the junction of Creagh Lane and George’s Quay. This again may relate to Nicholas Arthur’s Mill depicted on Hardiman’s map, c. 1590 (O'Donovan et. al. 2003). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 18 November 2019
- LI005-017072: Quay, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017072-. The potato market stands at the junction of Quay Lane [Bridge Street] and Merchant's Quay which was an important harbour or port in medieval Limerick. This merchant's harbour or port protected by a quay wall was described by Leask (1941, 101) as following; 'Where the Potato Market now is there was one of the most interesting features of ancient Limerick — the ship dock or port — enclosed by pier-like arms of the walls terminating in towers. The southern pier or wall, nearly 400 feet [122m] long, started from a tower seemingly three-sided, at the foot of the "Rue du Quay" of the French map: the modern Bridge Street, and formed the south boundary of the port. In 1500, say Fitzgerald and McGregor, "a wall and vault were built on the south side of the Quay. This vault had its entrance by a flight of steps at the end of Quay Lane, and formed a covered way to a six-gun battery at the Pierhead near the flood-gate. This is the south wall and tower shown (the former by a double line) on the French map [Lenihan 1866, 258], which also shows the entrance steps minutely. This south wall of the Quay was repaired in 1640-41, when Wm. Comyn was Mayor, and bore a long inscription to that effect which is given in Ferrar's History, 1st edition, 1767. The tower fell in 1693, the collision of the falling stones detonating the 250 barrels of gunpowder in store there, with most destructive effects: fatal casualties and much injury to persons and property houses were wrecked, many windows broken and roofs stripped. The battery at the pier-head seems to have been a successor to the tower. The entrance to the port was bounded, on the north side also, by a wall-pier about 100 feet [30m] in length and the same distance from the south wall. It also terminated in a tower. Within the entrance lay the dock itself, an irregular piece of water surrounded by quays and projecting jetties and backed by the quay. The view in Pacata Hibernia shows a sort of half-moon quay, but the French map and that of 1590 [TCD, MS 1209/57] are more precise and detailed and probably more accurate. The piers and terminal towers—which must have been most interesting and picturesque objects—have quite gone and so also has the whole of the river wall of the town from the dock northwards to the nearest tower of King John's Castle [LI005-017014-]. Its trace passes across the County Court House diagonally at the river end of the building, and in the same way over the yards west of the City Court House'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 19 November 2019
- LI005-017073: Battery, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017073-. A six-gun battery on the S wall of the medieval quay (LI005-017073-) of Limerick described by Leask (1941, 101) as following; 'Where the Potato Market now is there was one of the most interesting features of ancient Limerick — the ship dock or port — enclosed by pier-like arms of the walls terminating in towers. The southern pier or wall, nearly 400 feet [122m] long, started from a tower seemingly three-sided, at the foot of the "Rue du Quay" of the French map: the modern Bridge Street, and formed the south boundary of the port. In 1500, say Fitzgerald and McGregor, "a wall and vault were built on the south side of the Quay. This vault had its entrance by a flight of steps at the end of Quay Lane [Bridge Street], and formed a covered way to a six-gun battery at the Pierhead near the flood-gate. This is the south wall and tower shown (the former by a double line) on the French map [Lenihan 1866, 258], which also shows the entrance steps minutely. This south wall of the Quay was repaired in 1640-41, when Wm. Comyn was Mayor, and bore a long inscription to that effect which is given in Ferrar's History, 1st edition, 1767. The tower fell in 1693, the collision of the falling stones detonating the 250 barrels of gunpowder in store there, with most destructive effects: fatal casualties and much injury to persons and property houses were wrecked, many windows broken and roofs stripped. The battery at the pier-head seems to have been a successor to the tower'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 19 November 2019
- LI005-017074: Mill - unclassified, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017074-. Thomas Arthur's mill, one of a pair of mills (LI005-017075-) located between King John's Castle (LI005-017014-) and the medieval quay (LI005-017072-) (Leask 1941, 101). This is marked as 'Upper Mills' on map in O'Flaherty (2010, 3, Fig. 3) where it is described as 'Newgate Lane, W. end, in Curragour Castle. Mill 14th-15th cent.' (ibid., 30). It is very closely associated with 'Golding Mill' which is also described as 'Newgate Lane, W. end, in Curragour Castle. Mill 14th-15th cent.' (ibid., 30). The two mills were described by Leask (1941, 101) as following; 'At or near the foot of Newgate Lane—the "Rue des Moulins" of the French map [Lenihan 1866, 258] — were two water mills (J on Map). They stood out from the wall [LI005-017010-] just below the Curragower reef. These mills are specifically mentioned in the Civil Survey (Simington 1938, 442-3). There seem to have been two stone houses (36ft. by 30ft. [10.8m x 9.1m] and 45ft, by 27ft. [13.7m x 8.2m]) "with two mills (wheels?) therein seated and a thatched house. The map of 1590 [TCD, MS 1209/57] shows them as "Thos. Arthur's" [LI005-017074-] and the "Queen's Mills," and connected with the city wall (LI005-017010-) by a bridge'. Both of these probably formed 'the King's Mills' mentioned by Hodkinson (2009, 23) who recorded that 'half of the mill building still exists within the grounds of City Hall, where two stubs of walls can be seen projecting out into the river (ibid.). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 19 November 2019
- LI005-017075: Mill - unclassified, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017075-. Queen's mill, one of a pair of mills (LI005-017074-) located between King John's Castle (LI005-017014-) and the medieval quay (LI005-017072-). The two mills were described by Leask (1941, 101) as following; 'At or near the foot of Newgate Lane—the "Rue des Moulins" of the French map [Lenihan 1866, 258] — were two water mills (J on Map). They stood out from the wall just below the Curragower reef. These mills are specifically mentioned in the Civil Survey (Simington 1938, 442-3). There seem to have been two stone houses (36ft. by 30ft. [10.8m x 9.1m] and 45ft, by 27ft. [13.7m x 8.2m]) "with two mills (wheels?) therein seated and a thatched house. The map of 1590 [TCD, MS 1209/57] shows them as "Thos. Arthur's" [LI005-017074-] and the "Queen's Mills," and connected with the city wall (LI005-017010-) by a bridge'. Both of these probably formed 'the King's Mills' mentioned by Hodkinson (2009, 23) who recorded that 'half of the mill building still exists within the grounds of City Hall, where two stubs of walls can be seen projecting out into the river (ibid.). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 19 November 2019
- LI005-017082: Battery, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017082-. Black Battery which according to Leask (1941, 103) was located just inside the mural tower (LI005-017010-) at SE angle of Irishtown, east of St. John's Gate in the hospital grounds in the city of Limerick (LI005-017----). This 17th century fortification was described by Leask (ibid.) as following; 'Close to the southern end of this long east wall (LI005-017010-), in the space now occupied by the New Road and for some distance from it towards the corner tower, was the breach made in the wall by the Williamite artillery in the siege of 1690. The Journal of John Stevens gives the width of the breach at its greatest — just before the besiegers withdrew some days subsequent to the fierce but unsuccessful assault — as forty paces. This agrees closely with the visible facts: the width of the road and the length of the repaired portion of the wall closer to the Black Battery (P on Map). This lay upon the rampart within the salient south-east tower, which still remains. It is shown on the older maps'. The White MSS. tells that, in from 1643 —"This Year, Dominick White being Mayor of Limerick, the east rampart from St. John's Gate, towards the green called Ana Mayor Chluoin, was made." The Civil Survey (Simington 1938, 489) throws light on the position of this latter point: The Greene, commonly called Cluone, and the Bogg on ye north …..mearing on the west with the Rampier and the walls of the South Suburbs……It is fairly evident that the Cluain, or na Clony, tower is either that tentatively identified with "Cogan's Tower" or is the south-east tower. But since the rampart behind the former is—almost certainly—a work of 1690-91, the 1643 reference in the White MSS. must be to the rampart of the south wall—east of St. John's Gate in the hospital grounds—on which stood the Black Battery of the sieges, and to the tower at the angle there; evidently the tower na Clony itself'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 21 November 2019
- LI005-017089: Bastioned fort, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017089-. The citadel standing on the medieval town defences (LI005-017010-) of Limerick was described in the Urban Survey (Bradley et. al. 1989, 280-8) as following; 'The gatehouse of the citadel still survives and is in use as part of St. John’s Hospital. This citadel itself is mentioned in the Civil Survey and from Leask’s (1941, 104) analysis of the structure it appears to have been constructed during the Confederate period. The gatehouse consists of three floors. The west half of the building at ground and first floor levels is occupied by a vaulted passage 3.2m wide running through it from north to south. It is entered through a pointed arch with dressed limestone jambs, c.4m high, in the north wall. The main section of the passage has a modern brick vault c.5m high and has large segmentally arched recesses in the east and west walls; that in the west wall has a rectangular cupboard in its west wall while that in its north wall and in with chamfered limestone in the east wall has a wall cupboard its east wall a round headed door jambs, now blocked, which led to the main ground floor chamber to the east. South of this section the passage narrows slightly and is spanned by two broad pointed arches, that to the north is 3.94m high, that to the south is 3.2m high separated by a portcullis groove and with bar-holes immediately inside (N of) the first arch. Outside (S) of these the opening in the south wall is a tall (6m high) round arch with dressed limestone jambs (?modern). Main chamber The rest of the building to the east is entered through a round headed door with chamfered limestone arch and unchamfered jambs at the east end of the north wall. On entering this door a straight stairs rises to first floor on the west while on the south is a rectangular door leading to the main chamber (c.6.15m by 4.75m) now greatly altered modern subdivisions and equipment. The only recognisable features are corbels in the north and south walls, and what seems to be a large chimney in the east wall, just at the junction with the town wall [LI005-017010-]. There is no trace of a fireplace and a modern door occupies a broken hole in the inner wall which seems to have been the site of the fireplace. The outer wall is also broken through to provide storage space. It has a modern flat ceiling. Also in the north wall is a round headed window which may be an enlarged loop with splayed flat lintelled embrasure. First floor Approached via straight stairs rising from east to west through the thickness of the north wall which is lit at first floor level by a splayed rectangular loop, flat lintelled. The main first floor chamber is entered through a rectangular door, unsplayed, on the south side of the stairs; the chamber is 6.1 by 4.6m though now sub-divided. It was roofed by a round barrel vault with wattle centering but most of this is now removed and replaced by a modern flat ceiling. Modern boards conceal the walls masking any features; however in the south wall there is a large embrasure with almost flat arch and wattle centering which has a large modern inserted window. In the extreme south-west corner is a tall rectangular loop with chamfered limestone jambs and splayed flat lintelled embrasure. Opening off the main chamber to the east at the south end is a small chamber with a segmental barrel vault now entered through modern doors occupying a rectangular opening in the original east wall of the main chamber. This chamber is lit from the south by a tall rectangular loop with chamfered limestone jambs set in a large embrasure. In the east wall is a rectangular doorway with chamfered limestone jambs; the south jamb is chamfered, however, only above the rounded moulding at the top of the batter indicating that this was originally a loop and later enlarged into a door. Second floor The stairs in the north wall continue to 2nd floor level, lit by another splayed rectangular loop. They are now blocked off, however, before reaching this level. The 2nd floor seems to have been greatly altered. Much of the external masonry is rougher and poorer and some walls apparently reduced in thickness internally, but the presence of a number of original features proves it is not totally rebuilt. There is a rectangular loop with chamfered limestone jambs in the south wall and two large round headed windows, now blocked, at the south end of the east and west walls; that in the east wall retains its chamfered limestone jambs. The 2nd floor chamber occupies the entire area of the building although now sub-divided. The north wall has two large modern sash windows; the west wall is featureless apart from a blocked round headed window; the south wall has a modern door approached from external stairs and three modern sash windows as well as a blocked loop. The east wall has a blocked round headed window and a modern sash window in a recess which was probably the site of the chimney flue. North of this the north-east angle of the building has been entirely removed and replaced by the modern walls of the hospital. There is a short section of wall, c.6m high, running south-west from the south-west corner of the gate. The city defences witnessed considerable work during the seventeenth century. In particular its key role in the Confederate and Williamite Wars necessitated considerable strengthening. The outline of the defences on fig. 62 is taken from Phillips" map (NLI). The citadel of St John’s, described above, is a mid seventeenth century structure refortified in 1690. Story’s map of the Siege of Limerick in 1690 shows two star-shaped forts to the east of the city (Lenihan 1866, op.237). A section of seventeenth century wall survives close to St. John’s hospital, some 20m north of the gatehouse. This is an L-shaped piece of walling, part of the inner works of the citadel. The main wall is 10.45m long, up to 3.3m high and 2.2m thick; there is a slight external batter and an opening 2.75m wide with a modern round arch running through the wall. From the west end of this wall a stretch of wall 7.5m long, up to 2.5m high and 1.7m thick extends north-west, and forms part of the Western bastion. The masonry of both walls is of mixed roughly coursed limestone undressed, although the archway has dressed limestone jambs and quoins. On the external face of both walls is another wall, up to 1m high and 70cms thick which is probably modern'. Hodkinson (2006) stated that 'the Citadel is thus of Cromwellian origin, built in the immediate aftermath of the 1651 siege to help secure the town rather than defend it from outside. This explains its form of a rectangle with two diamond shaped bastions, one at each of the corners facing into the town'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 21 November 2019
- LI005-017098: Mill - unclassified, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017098-. The Prior's or Common Mill, located nearly opposite Nicholas Arthur's Mill (LI005-017069-) on the Abbey River (Leask 1941, 107). These two mills are depicted standing on opposite sides of the Abbey River on a late 16th century map of Limerick City (TCD, MS 1209/57). Excavations carried out in the Abbey River under licence No. 98E0581 ext. by Ed O'Donovan on behalf of Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd were summarised as following; 'Over the past year and a half, excavations in advance of construction work associated with the Limerick Main Drainage Scheme have been carried out. The report on the first phase of these excavations (Excavations 1999, 169–71) included brief reports on excavations along George’s Quay and at Broad Street. The Phase I excavations also included an account of the various artefacts recovered from the bed of the Abbey River between Matthew Bridge and Baal’s Bridge. This year the excavations in the riverbed extended from Matthew Bridge to the mouth of the Abbey River, with its junction with the Shannon at Curragour Point, and from Curragour Point in the Shannon to Sarsfield Lock, and also included a short programme of excavation on George’s Quay. Town wall along George’s Quay Two further sections of the medieval town wall were uncovered along George’s Quay (at Manholes E and F). Deep excavation was not required as the construction work was relatively shallow; however, the laying of new pipes along the quay at the junction of Creagh Lane and George’s Quay did reveal a substantial wall running parallel to the quay. The preliminary interpretation of the structure suggested that it formed part of a bastion or building standing proud of the line of the town wall. Structures standing proud of the town wall along the Abbey River are illustrated on the early historic maps of the city (Pacata Hibernia map, Hardiman’s map and Speed’s map). Organic deposits of 16th-century date abutting the structure contained the grain weevil Sitophilus granarius. This insect is a pest of stored grain in particular and is entirely dependent on humans for its dispersal (Eileen Reilly, pers. comm.). These deposits are possibly related to grain stored around Nicholas Arthur’s Mill, depicted on Hardiman’s map (c. 1590) (www.excavations.ie). 16th/17th-century weir in the Abbey River The foundations of an early weir (LI005-017186-) were identified in the Abbey River. The structure pre-dates Charlotte’s Quay and Bank Place and is thought to form a head-race for two mills on either side of the river, one under Bank Place (LI005-017098-) and the other (LI005-017069-) at the junction of Creagh Lane and George’s Quay. This again may relate to Nicholas Arthur’s Mill depicted on Hardiman’s map, c. 1590. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 19 November 2019
- LI005-017099: Castle - tower house, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017099-. Medieval castle known as 'Thom Cor Castle' in the city of Limerick (LI005-017----) described in the Urban Survey (Bradley et. al. 1989, 259) as following; 'This stood at the junction of Mungret St. and John St. in the Irish town. It appears on the 1580 map (Hardiman Mss, TCD) but was demolished in 1696 and a market house (LI005-017100-) was built on the site at a cost of £210 (Westropp 1906-7, 79). Westropp (1906-7, 79) recorded the following details on Thom Core Castle; 'It stood in the Irish Town at the junction of Mungret-street and John-street, and appears in the 1580 map (Hardiman 57). 1402 T. Balbeyn, called " Cor," leaves in his will dated March 28th, "my castle which I built in the suburbs of Limerick," leaving it to the Corporation, if his brother Henry, of Bristol, should not care to live in Limerick (Arthur MSS., Len., p. 236). 1650-54 Capt. T. Holmes repaired Core castle at a cost of £70. Also paid J. Tomson "for repair of Tom Core C[astle]." (Acct. R. 12b 13). 1657 It was held by Dr. T. Arthur, and was then a "cytadle" (C.S.,xxviii., p. 6). 1659 The C[astle]. and the three citadels were garrisoned by 200 men (C.S.P.L, p. 687). 1668 Lord Orrery was granted the front stone house adjoining Tho: Core's C[astle]. (Act. Sett.). 1696 A market house [LI005-017100-] ordered to be built on the site of Thorn Core C[astle], which is to be demolished (White MSS., Len., p. 295). This was done at a cost of £21'. According to Hodkinson (2005, 119), Thom Cor Castle was possibly an example of a late 14th century tower house. In 1402 the castle is mentioned in the will of 'Thomas Balbein, alias Cor ' where it is described 'My castle which I built in the suburb of Limerick' (ibid.) Hodkinson recorded that the 'castle measured 50ft by 30ft (c 15.25 by 9.2 m), which puts it towards the upper end of local tower house sizes' (ibid.) In the late 1980s he wrote that he 'spent several days test trenching the site of a new development at this corner to see if any foundations of the castle remained. None were noted (ibid.)'. This castle was depicted on several maps of the City including one dating from 1587 where the castle is shown as a 'tall thin tower with what appears to be an attached lower portion. Both parts are equipped with cannon' (Hodkinson 2005, 119; MPF 1/96). In 1633 the castle is depicted on a map in Pacata Hibernia as a 'round tower with a gabled roof on the lower section' (ibid., 124). A late 16th/early 17th century map of the city depicts the castle as a 'squat, rectangular, freestanding building at the road junction, with an apparently separate crenellated building to the southwest' (ibid.; TCD, MS 1209/57). Hodkinson (2005, 125) has suggested the castle may have had two doors as depicted on the Hunt map with one door leading to the ground floor, the second door giving access to the upper floors. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 21 November 2019
- LI005-017100: Market-house, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017100-. Late 17th century market house built on site of 'Thom Cor Castle' (LI005-017099-) in the city of Limerick (LI005-017----) described in the Urban Survey (Bradley et. al. 1989, 259) as following; 'stood at the junction of Mungret St. and John St. in the Irish town. It appears on the 1580 map (Hardiman Mss, TCD) but was demolished in 1696 and a market house was built on the site at a cost of £210 (Westropp 1906-7, 79). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 21 November 2019
- LI005-017101: Castle - unclassified, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017101-. Curragower Castle described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 259) as following; ‘In 1657 this was located near the Curragour weir [LI005-110----] parish of St. Nicholas (Westropp 1906-7, 81)'. Westropp (1906-7, 81) recorded the following details on Curragower Castle; 'The weir [LI005-110----] of Coradoguir is named in 1201 in the Inq. M. f. Henry (B.B.L., p. 15). 1577 The mills [LI005-017074-/075-] of Cordower granted to Hercules Rainsford (Fi. 3027). 1627 W. Creagh f. Martin held the C[astle]. and two mills of Carrowdarrower in the parish of St. Nicholas (Inq. Chan. 50). 1657 Curragowr stone house and C[astle] (C.S., xxviii., p. 64). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 21 November 2019
- LI005-017103: House - fortified house, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017103-. Galwey's Castle (Ireton’s House) described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 262) as following; ‘Located near the cathedral [LI005-017015-]. It may have been built in the early 17th century and was repaired in 1650-54. It was demolished in 1894 (Westropp 1906-7, 80)'. This castle and its demolition was described by Barry (1894, 386-9) as following; 'The only matter I have to report on is the history of the disappearance of one of the most remarkable and interesting of the castellated houses of old Limerick, viz. Galwey's Castle, commonly known as Ireton's House. It was a large stone structure, with pointed gables in the Elizabethan style, with stone-mullioned windows, and a round-headed stone-arched doorway leading into Gridiron-lane, which separated it from St. Mary's churchyard [LI005-017016-] and the old Exchange. Its high Dutch gable front of red brick, evidently an insertion of later date, facing Nicholas-street the main street of the English town gave one a good idea of the houses of old Limerick. This front of imported Dutch brick was, according to local tradition, the first brick-fronted house erected in Limerick. In 1661 Lord Orrery was made Governor of the Castle and City of Limerick. In a letter from King Charles, he is directed to "employ himself" in getting English and Dutch merchants to settle in Limerick. By a letter of Orrery's, he would seem to have been successful, as he says he expects more Dutch merchants to settle in the city. We know a considerable portion of the city was granted to Lord Orrery, General Ingoldsby, and other Cromwellians after the siege, and these grants were confirmed by the Act of Settlement. Sir Geoffrey Galwey, Bart., the owner of this house, was hanged by Ireton, and his property was confiscated. It is not, therefore, improbable that one of these Dutch settlers, having got possession of Galwey's Castle, modernised it, so to speak, by the insertion of a brick front in the Dutch style. Ferrar, in his "History of Limerick," says the only houses which remained habitable after the siege of 1691, were certain castellated ones in the main street. New houses, in the Dutch style, then replaced the old ones both in the English and Irish town. Picturesque old Limerick, now fast disappearing, dates therefore from after the siege of 1691, excepting these ancient castellated mansions. "Galwey's Castle" was so called from Sir Geoffrey Galwey, an eminent lawyer, who was mayor of the city in A.D. 1600. It was built, or rather remodelled, in the reign of Elizabeth [1558-1603]. It was on the site of a more ancient structure, said to be a portion of the palace of the kings of Limerick. On learning that the Dean and Chapter had purchased "Galwey's Castle," with other houses adjoining, and were about to apply to the Corporation for a presentment to close Gridiron-lane, which separated these houses from the cathedral (this lane was called from a well-known inn, "The Gridiron," which existed early in this century the last proprietor was a popular character named Pat M'Grath, otherwise "Paddy the Chopper"'. Westropp (1906-7, 80) recorded the following details; 'Galwey's Castle, near the Cathedral [LI005-017015-]. The family was a branch of the Burkes. "John de Burgo, of Galway, was knighted by Lionel Duke of Clarence, for his brave defence of Balls Bridge [LI005-017001-], Limerick, against the O'Briens, 1361. The fine monument [LI005-017019-] in the Cathedral dates 1414. Sir Geoffrey Galwey was Mayor in 1600, and strongly asserted the independence of the Corporation, being, in consequence, fined by Carew. He probably built the C[astle], and died 1636. His grandson, Sir Geoffrey, was excepted from terms at the surrender of Limerick to Ireton, 1651. In 1650-54, Thomas White paid for work done in preserving Jeoffrey Gallowaye's House, £20" (Acct. R. 15). The "Castle" has been illustrated in Journals R.S.A.I., xxiv., pp. 386-9 and Limerick Field Club, vol. i. It was demolished in 1894, being an object of prejudice from its name, "Ireton's House," and the Corporation refused to preserve it'. See attached photograph and drawing of 'Galwaye's Castle' dating from 1894, taken from Barry 1894, 385-6-. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 21 November 2019
- LI005-017104: Castle - unclassified, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017104-. Stritche's Castle described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 262) as following; 'Described in 1657 as "the stone Castle or house of Alderman James Stritch, and a cross stone-house, now made into a cythadell or garrison" in St Munchin’s Parish' (Westropp 1906-7, 80). According to O'Flaherty (2010, 27), 'the stone castle or house ... on site of later bishop's palace ... Alderman James Stritch's stone castle or house 1654 (CS); 1681 (Dineley MS, 126)'. Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 20 December 2019
- LI005-017106: Tomb - chest tomb, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017106-. The 'monument' of Thomas and Johanna Rice dated 1622 which seems not to have survived the rebuilding of St John's (LI005-017041-) in 1761 (Bradley et. al. 1989, 325-6; Westropp 1904-5, 358). Fitzgerald (1826-7,558-9) described this tomb as following; 'Before the alterations in 1763, it contained a handsome monument of the Power family, which was surrounded by figures of the twelve Apostles carved in stone, with the family arms, &c. and underneath was the following inscription THOMAS POWER, quondam civis Limericensis, et ejus uxor JOANNA RICE, hoc monumentum haeredibus suis construxerunt, in quo ambo sepeliuntur. Ora pro eis pius lector Quisquis eris qui transis, Sta, perlege, plora, Sum quod eris, fueramque quod es, Pro me precor ora. Hoc finito, A. D. 1622. Thomas Power, formerly citizen of Limerick, and Joanna his wife, erected this tomb for their posterity, in which both of them are interred. Pious reader, pray for them! Traveller, pause, improve your time I, like you, have seen my prime, What I am, thou soon must be, Then prepare to follow me. Finished in the year of our Lord, 1622. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 21 November 2019
- LI005-017107: Inscribed stone, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017107-. 17th century plaque / wall memorial that was originally located inside St. John's Church (LI005-017041-) but later moved to the graveyard (LI005-017042-), described in the Urban Survey (Bradley et. al. 1989, 325-6) as following; 'Westropp (1904-5, 358) notes that before the rebuilding of [St. John's Church] 1763 there was a tablet (probably a wall memorial) to John Foorde, Esqr. Mayor 1693, skull and crossbones (Fogerty 1913, 372). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 22 November 2019
- LI005-017108: Graveslab, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017108-. Located in the graveyard of St John's (LI005-017042-). An inscribed stone with Latin inscription (Phillipus filius Mauricii) and symbols of a shoemaker (hence the term The Slipper Stone) described in the Urban Survey (Bradley et. al. 1989, 326) as following; 'a panel, probably from a table tomb'. A photograph taken 1910-12 suggests a distinct narrowing as in a 16th/17th century graveslab. Described by Fogerty (1913, 376-7) as following; ' "The Slipper Stone." There is one ancient slab known as "the Slipper Stone," on account of the symbols of the brogue-maker's trade on it. The symbols are two in number, the sole of a brogue and a cutting instrument used by brogue-makers. Judging by the style of lettering in the inscription, which is crude, and a mixture of Roman capitals and old English, the slab may belong to the early seventeenth century. The inscription commences at the top of the slab and continues down the right-hand side, then up the left edge, following on with the four short lines under the Philippus (the l in which word, it will be noticed, is upside down); it reads, with the contractions expended : — Philippus filius Mauricii capuc (?) . . . Hoc condidit monumentum; cujus animae propicietur Deus, Amen. I.e. Philip, son of Maurice Capuc . . . erected this monument, to whose soul God be merciful, Amen'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 22 November 2019
- LI005-017109: Inscribed stone, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017109-. According to Urban Survey (Bradley et. al. 1989, 326) 'the enclosing wall of St. John's graveyard (LI005-017042-) has a plaque with an inscription of 1650 recording money given by John Creagh, David Rochford and James Bousfield for the 'outworks' of the city.' Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 22 November 2019
- LI005-017110: Inscribed stone, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017110-. According to Spellissy (1989, 41) in St John's graveyard (LI005-017042-) is 'a Latin-inscribed plaque in the churchyard wall ' which records the repair of the wall in 1693. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 22 November 2019
- LI005-017114: Church, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017114-. St. Nicholas Church was situated at the N end of Nicholas Street on the W side of the street just S of the castle barracks. The Urban Survey of Limerick recorded the following details about St. Nicholas’ Church; ‘First mentioned in the inquisition of 1200-1 (MacCaffrey 1907, 27, 28) it is listed as the dean’s parish in Bishop Donatus O’Brien’s ordinance of 1204-6 (ibid., 116). It was included among the Limerick churches to which Geoffrey Galwey bequeathed a legacy in 1445 (Westropp 1898, 122-3). It was located near the Castle Barrack and is shown on the Hardiman map of c.1590 as having a side aisle to the north of the main building, a central tower with low pointed spire and a planted cemetery. It was destroyed in 1651 (Westropp 1904-5, 358-9)’(Bradley et. al. 1985, 329). In 1827 the following details were recorded; 'St. Nicholas's Church was situated near the Castle-barrack, on the ground afterwards occupied by the old Post-office. It was probably demolished during one of the sieges in the seventeenth century, as it is mentioned as being a particular scene of action in 1642. The parish, which contains 4,307 inhabitants, is a Rectory and Vicarage, united with St. Mary's, and forms part of the corps of the Deanery' (Fitzgerald 1826-7, 561). Westropp gives the following details on St. Nicholas’ Church ‘In 1204 Wm. de Burgo names it "Sci. Nicholai, cum ear. ptin," " ex donacione litteris vero Regis Momonie," i.e. Donaldmore, ante 1194 (B.B.L., p. 109), also M.F.H., 1201. It is named in the wills of Martin Arthur, 1376, and Geffry Galwey, 1445. It was in good repair in 1615. Fabric - It is shown in the Hardiman map of c. 1590 (No. 57) as having a side aisle to the north of the main building ; a central tower with a low, pointed spire, and a planted cemetery. It was destroyed in the siege of 1651; the cemetery lies near the castle barrack’ (1904-5, 358-9) Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 3 October 2018
- LI005-017115: Religious house - Fratres Cruciferi, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017115-. Priory & Hospital of St Mary & St Edward described in the Urban Survey (Bradley et. al. 1989,329-30) as following; 'PRIORY & HOSPITAL OF ST MARY & ST EDWARD, alias HOLY CROSS (FRATRES CRUCIFERI) - According to Ware, Simon Minor placed Augustinians in the priory of SS Mary & Edward before 1216. This was, in fact, a house of Augustinian Cruciferi dedicated to SS Mary, Edward and the Holy Cross (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 214; Begley 1906, 270-4). Described as "near the bridge" in 1321 (Westropp 1904-5, 360) it is shown on the 1590 map as situated in the angle of the town walls, south of the Franciscan Friary, at Sir Harry’s Mall. In 1559 it consisted of the body of the church, a hospital, steeple and a waste garden, barns and close (Westropp 1904-5, 361). Gwynn and Hadcock (1970, 214) have suggested that there were two sets of buildings St Mary and St Edward, and Holy Cross, one the priory the other the hospital. It is possible that the references to the church of "Sancte Marie Rotunda" in the inquisition of 1201-2 (MacCaffrey 1907, 28) relates to this site. It cannot be the same, however, as the church of St Mary Magdalen listed in Bishop Donatus O’Brien’s ordinance of 1204-6 (MacCaffrey 1907, 116) because the dedication of the Cruciferi house was clearly to the BVM (Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 214)'. Archaeological testing carried out at 57-8 Mary Street and 1-4 Sir Harry's Mall by Frank Coyne, Aegis Archaeology Ltd, under licence no. 03E1610, uncovered the remains of the graveyard (LI005-017154-) belonging to the abbey along with some architectural fragments. Further excavations by Linda G Lynch took place in 2005 under licence no. 05E0376, which uncovered the remains of 90 skeletons belonging to the graveyard of the abbey. Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 20 December 2019
- LI005-017119: Monumental structure, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017119-. This is the Treaty Stone. The treaty stone was moved from its former position beside Thomond Bridge (LI005-017002-) to the north to its present location.
- LI005-017120: Architectural fragment, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017120-. Collection of stone fragments in grounds of Mercy Convent. Described in the Urban Survey (Bradley et. al. 1989, 333) as following; 'Gathered in the garden are a number of dressed stones including one which appears to be part of a chimney mantle with the initials WMC, heraldic shields and tracery. There is also a stone with the letters SFA and another stone with a fragmentary Latin letttered inscription'. Most probably came from cloister of Dominican Priory (LI005-015047-) but 'some pieces of elaborate foliated carvings probably come from a tomb or sedelia' (Twohig 1995, 110 & Illus. 8b). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 25 November 2019
- LI005-017121: Burial ground, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017121-. Excavations carried out by Aegis Archaeology under licence No. 00E0661 identified the location of a burial ground associated with St Saviour's Dominican Priory (LI005-017047-). The results of these excavations were summarised as following; 'Eleven trenches were dug by machine and by hand in an area just south of the medieval Dominican priory, in advance of a proposed development. Five yielded archaeological material. Trenches 1 and 2 exposed the lower courses of the limestone town wall, while human remains were exposed in Trenches 2, 10 and 11. Only those in Trenches 2 and 11 were articulated, in situ and orientated in the usual east–west direction. At the northern end of Trench 10, the foundations of a wall were discovered, which were interpreted as the southern wall of the medieval church of the priory. This wall lay c. 8m from the extant northern wall of the church. The remainder of the trenches showed that the site had been disturbed in the past and the archaeological layers had been removed extensively' (www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 25 November 2019
- LI005-017122: Quay, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017122-. In 1981 excavations carried out in advance of commercial development at Charlotte's Quay uncovered 'substantial remains of the fourteenth/ fifteenth-century town walls together with the foundations of the West Watergate' (Lynch 184, 1). Charlotte's Quay was described by Lynch (1984, 281) as an 'area outside the town walls remained largely undeveloped during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries with the exception of a quay wall built parallel with the town wall sometime in the seventeenth century. A quantity of post-medieval pottery was found on the site. The town walls were demolished in the late eighteenth century and at the same time a complex series of brick foundation arches were built to support Charlotte's Quay. The construction of this quay facilitated the reclamation of the site and its use for housing and industrial development' (Lynch 1984, 281). Lynch (ibid. 286) described the area where the 17th century quay wall was uncovered as 'immediately west of West Watergate, outside the town walls, was a marshy wasteland up until the eighteenth century. Phillips's sketch of 1685 shows a few scattered cabins in this area, but building on an organised scale did not take place until 1717 when 'Messrs Vincent, Wight and Holland took a lease of it from the Corporation and made a quay, which was called Mardyke' (Ferrar 1787,1 26). The 17th century quay wall uncovered in the 1981 excavations were described by Lynch (1984, 291-2) as following; 'No evidence was recovered of a moat or ditch outside the town wall [LI005-017010-] in spite of Speed's detailed illustration of a water-filled moat surrounding Irish Town. There is some evidence, however, of a water-filled channel having been contained between the town wall and an outer retaining or quay wall, which led from the Abbey River up to the northern tower of the West Watergate. The precise date of construction and use of this channel is not clear and it is not depicted in any of the known maps of Limerick. The map of c. 1600 shows the river bank lying half-way between the West Watergate and the corner of the town wall which must have been standing in the river itself. In the Phillips map of 1685 there is a suggestion of a low-lying marshy area leading from the river's edge up to the West Watergate. The 1691 map shows the whole of Irish Town surrounded by a double rampart and moat system, but this was obviously a depiction of the desired (or possibly planned) fortifications at the time of the Williamite sieges, rather than reality. The map of c. 1750-61 shows a river inlet extending almost to the West Watergate and a similar situation is depicted on the plan for the construction of Charlotte's Quay c. 1759. The purpose of building such a retaining or quay wall must have been to partially divert and contain the Abbey River and to provide access for small boats to the vicinity of the West Watergate. It is probable that this development took place sometime in the seventeenth century judging by the masonry of the wall and the range of finds recovered from the primary deposit in the channel. The surviving stretch of quay wall is 32.50m long, averages 0.95m wide and has a maximum height of 3.20m. It runs southward from under the present roadway at Charlotte's Quay, roughly parallel to the town wall and on average 7.20m distant from it, to within c. 5.0m of the northern tower of the West Watergate. Unfortunately its southern end has been broken through in modern times, which means that a reconstruction of the landing or off-loading area adjacent to the Watergate is impossible. The method of construction of the quay wall is similar to that of the town wall, i.e. a core of mortared rubble faced with limestone blocks. The vertical east face was fully exposed and displays two distinct phases of construction. The lower 2m (approx.) consists of limestone ashlars (averaging 0.60m X 0.20m) closely set in distinct or regular courses. Surface dressing of the ashlars is minimal. The majority display simple hammer-dressing, while approximately seven have chisel-draughted margins (sensu Moxley 1964) enclosing a sparrow-picked surface. A rectangular opening (0.68m X 0.64m) just above the bottom course was located c. 3.30m south of the angle in the wall. This feature, which must have acted as a drainage inlet/outlet, has a flattened arch with widely splayed voussoirs on each side of the keystone and had at some stage been blocked up with brick from the western side. The quay wall was either heightened or had the facing renewed on its upper levels at some stage in the late seventeenth or eighteenth centuries. The masonry here is quite distinct from that of the lower levels in that the limestone blocks are, on average, much smaller (c. 0.40m X 0.20m) and the courses are less well-defined with many smaller stones used to fill the interstices. A series of seven putlocks (on average 2.50m apart) occurs along the dividing line between both phases of construction and is associated with the upper or secondary levels. As with the town walls, the upper portion of the quay wall was incorporated in the foundation courses of nineteenth-century basements and various buildings fronting onto Charlotte's Quay. A complex of eighteenth/nineteenth-century structures abutted the quay wall on its western side. These included the red-brick relieving arches built when Charlotte's Quay was first constructed'. Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 28 November 2019
- LI005-017123: House - medieval, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017123-. Medieval house revealed during excavations carried out at this site by Celie O'Rahilly (Excavations 1994, 58; Excavations 1995, 56, 94E0071). The results of the excavation carried out by O'Rahilly under licence No. 94E0071 were summarised as following; 'The site was within the Englishtown, on the east side of Nicholas Street and north of Peter Street. The latter, positioned opposite the northern end of St Mary's Cathedral, was formed between 1840 and 1870 and presumably was so named as it led to Peter's Cell, off Bishop's Street to the east. Nicholas Street was the main street and has its origins in the medieval town. There were four properties in the site, Nos 36-39 (consisting of two buildings, each subdivided into two units), facing onto Nicholas Street, and a range of three cottages extending down the northern side of Peter Street. Building 1 (Nos 36 and 37), to the north, was a three-storey, two-bay building, 9.5m deep by 6m wide. The front wall, on Nicholas Street, was a mixture of brick- and blockwork. The rear wall was mass concrete. These units were inserted between the standing remains of two stone side-walls of a late medieval house, the southern one containing, at first-floor level, the sides and part of the lintel of a late medieval fireplace. The sides were finely carved limestone, with the eastern side intact but the western side damaged. It was obvious from the vertical building breaks in the two side-walls that the walls of the medieval house did not originally extend as far as the present street line but c. 4m short of it. Between the two side-walls, towards the rear of the property, were the remains of a vaulted undercroft (Excavations 1994, 58-9; Excavations 1995, 56). The Urban Archaeology Survey also mentions 'a round headed doorway with chamfered limestone jambs in the north wall between Nos. 35/36' (Bradley et al. c. 1989-90, 263, House B). At the rear of the property was another building, of which only the northern gable and eastern side-wall survive. Building 2 (Nos 38 and 39), to the south, was a two-storey, two-bay building at the corner of Nicholas Street and Peter Street. The original building was 8.5m wide and 6.5m deep. At the rear the northern unit had a lean-to (total depth 3.5m and 1.5m wide) against the party wall with a tiny open space beyond it. The remainder of the area was covered with an extension, measuring 7m north-south by 3.75m, accessed from Peter Street. The Peter Street range consisted of three single-storey houses (artisan dwelling type), each with a central door and one window on either side. All opes were defined with brick arches set in stone walls. The total length was 21.5m, and they were 5m wide. At the rear, between the house walls and the party wall to the north, were sheds/outhouses. The three houses were at the same floor level, which was at street level at the west end of the street, but, given the drop in the latter, there was a flight of five steps to the footpath at the eastern end of the third house. Both the Peter Street cottages and the building on the corner were built between 1840 and 1870, but Nos 36 and 37 dated to the 1930s. The recent work on this site, in April 1999, following the demolition of Nos 36 and 37, consisted of a cutting, Cut 9, and limited access to the undercroft. A report was prepared incorporating an account of all the archaeologically supervised work done, together with historical and cartographic research, 18th-century descriptions and a brief inventory of comparative structures in Limerick. The standing remains of the medieval walls were recorded photogrammetrically, and structural analysis by an architectural historian is pending. Cut 9 was 2.3m east of the front wall, parallel to the dividing wall of Nos 36 and 37, and extended eastwards as far as the mass concrete back wall. There was a possible cross-wall 5m from the front of the property. It was very poorly built, with a layer of soft, cement-like substance with underlying brick, and its total width was 1m. Given its instability, it appears unlikely to have been load-bearing. West of this wall the cut was 2.7m long and 1.4m wide. There was 2m of rubble overlying soft, brown, silty fill with a high bone content. This may be of archaeological significance, although no finds were recovered that could be used to date it. Given the unstable nature of the rubble fill, no further digging was done. To the east of the cross-wall the cut was 1.6m wide and 2.7m long, and the fill consisted of a high amount of large stones, slabs and brick. The base of the back wall was 1.3m below the floor level and was set on a stone plinth from the base of which a cut and carved stone was recovered, identical to one in situ in the mantelpiece. The dividing wall of Nos 36 and 37 defined the southern side of the cut. To the west of the cross-wall it was of a very poor quality, mainly brick, which curved vertically, possibly because it was vaulted (?cellar). It was 1.6m high. East of the cross-wall it was built with 0.25m of concrete overlying courses of brick. The total exposed height was 0.45m. Given the instability of the dividing wall, it is unlikely that the 1930s buildings had separate cellars. It is possible, however, that there was a single cellar for the building they replaced, with an arched longitudinal dividing wall. The underlying fill was very loose, which would suggest that the preceding building was demolished into an existing cavity. Apart from the dividing wall with possible vaulting, no other cellar walls were identified, and it was not possible for reasons of safety to make a cutting close to the side-walls. Given that the two side-walls relate to the original late medieval house, if there was a cellar belonging to the 18th/19th-century building it is likely that it was a conversion of the existing undercroft, with an extension westwards, as it would have been structurally very difficult to have inserted a cellar at a later stage. The vaulted undercroft was initially identified towards the rear of the property, where its eastern end wall was found. This consisted of a blocked arch, with the blocking done in two parts, northern and southern. The wall itself may be original, but this was not confirmed. At the western end the vault, or at least the central part of it, was partly destroyed by the levelling of the area immediately east of the mass concrete wall of the 1930s building, in order to accommodate the concrete floor of their backyards. It was clear from the accumulation of debris here and on both sides of the eastern end wall that it was backfilled with household-type rubbish that, judging by the pottery, was dumped in the 18th and 19th centuries. The undercroft It had been intended to record the undercroft. To do this it was necessary to reduce the ground level east of the end wall. The access ramp, first made in 1995, extended from the south, through the existing gap in the property wall at the rear of the last house on Peter Street. It then curved westwards down the centre of the plot to meet the arch just north of its centre point, cutting a thick deposit of sand. The front wall of the building at the rear of the property (on the 1840 and 1870 OS plans) was identified during the removal of this fill. Its base was cut into the upper layers of the sand, at a depth of 0.5m, implying that, once the end wall of the undercroft was blocked, the area was infilled with sand before the construction of the house. This building used the end of the northern late medieval wall as its northern gable. Visible in the northern section of the ramp was 0.35m of overburden over 0.5m of sand. Nearer the arch, however, was 0.9m of dump material under the sand. This material consisted of brick, mortar etc., with 18th/19th-century pottery, over 0.55m of brown sand with bits of slate and some stones. This fill pattern was also identified when the blocking wall was exposed in 1997. Below this and at the level of the base of the
- LI005-017124: Castle - ringwork, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017124-. Ringwork identified during 1990-1 excavations of King John's Castle (LI005-017014-), the discovery of which was described by Wiggins (2001, 30-3) as following; 'In February 1990 two terraces of corporation houses in the castle were demolished, allowing the development of the castle as a tourist attraction to get under way. Archaeological involvement was commenced by Celie O'Rahilly of Limerick Corporation, who monitored preliminary groundwork activity by the building contractor Brian O'Connell Ltd, which quickly evolved into full-scale excavation under the direction of the writer, until work was completed in September 1991. The purpose of the investigation was to uncover the surviving remains of the eastern curtain wall of the castle, together with the northern flank and eastern face of the bastion, which had been demolished around 1800. The excavated area measured approximately 47.5m north—south, extending from the standing north-eastern tower of the castle to the standing southern wall of the bastion. The width of the excavated area east—west varied between 17m and 30.5m, covering a wide area on both sides of the eastern curtain wall, including the whole interior of the bastion, as well as an area outside the bastion to the east. In the course of the excavation a good many structural remains other than those of the eastern curtain wall and the bastion emerged. Several features originating in the twelfth century were found, pre-dating the construction of the castle. These included part of the large-scale ringwork enclosure incorporating a stone-revetted bank and broad external ditch, originally constructed by the Anglo-Norman garrison around 1175—6. These early defences were aligned east—west, at right angles to the surviving foundations of the eastern curtain wall. The remains of both the ringwork bank behind the retaining wall and the ditch in front of it were disturbed by the digging of countermines during the siege of 1642'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 26 November 2019
- LI005-017125: House - medieval, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017125-. Three houses of late 12th / 13th century date identified during 1990-1 excavations of King John's Castle (LI005-017014-), the discovery of which was described by Wiggins (2001, 33) as following; 'The remains of both the ringwork (LI005-017124-) bank behind the retaining wall and the ditch in front of it were disturbed by the digging of countermines during the siege of 1642. In addition, the excavation was notable for the discovery of the earliest house sites relating to urban Limerick. The remains of three Ostman-type dwellings with characteristic sunken floors (Sunken-Featured Structures) were found in a line to the south of the ringwork ditch, and were constructed in the period following the departure of the Anglo Normans in 1176'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 28 November 2019
- LI005-017126: House - 16th/17th century, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017126-. Walls of late 16th/early17th house at 11 Peter Street- see report in file by Barry O'Reilly (Denis Power 16th August 2011).
- LI005-017127: Well, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017127-. Excavations carried out at No. 9 Church Street by Brian Hodkinson in 2001 under licence No. 01E1183 were summarised as following; 'During paving works for Limerick Corporation a well was uncovered under the front wall of 9 Church Street. The well was drystone-built, with a diameter of c. 0.9m and a depth to water of 3m measured from the upper ring of stones. This upper ring is c. 0.8m below finished paving level. There seems to have been some reduction in level around the well prior to its being capped, because all deposits over it seemed to be disturbed. The well does not appear on any maps and is believed to be older than 1840. The only finds were some fragments of red brick in the capping material and these were not retained' (www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 19 December 2019
- LI005-017128: House - 16th/17th century, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017128-. The ruins of a stone-built house on N side of Gaol Lane which is indicated on the Urban Survey map (Bradley 1989) but is not described in the text. It appears to have had chamfered limestone jambs for window opes at first floor level and therefore could be late medieval in date (Denis Power 18th August 2011). See attached location map from urban Survey showing building in red outline. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 28 November 2019
- LI005-017129: House - medieval, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017129-. Excavation carried out by Celie O'Rahilly under licence No. 94E072 at No.'s 3-6 St. Nicholas Street uncovered the remains of two late medieval houses (LI005-017007-). The results of this excavation were summarised as following; 'This site is located on the west side of Nicholas St. within the Englishtown and is erroneously identified as "St Nicholas Abbey" on the OS 1840 map and "St Nicholas's Abbey, (remains of)" on the 1870 edition. There was no St Nicholas Abbey in Limerick, but there was a medieval parish church dedicated to St Nicholas further north where the "Widows Alms Houses" are now, immediately south of King John's Castle. The church was demolished after the siege of 1692 and the Alms Houses built by the then Corporation. The substantial walls stretching east-west along this site are, in fact, the remains of two late medieval castellated town houses which fronted onto Nicholas St. Three cuttings were opened: the first in No. 3, the second in No. 6 and the third to the rear of No. 5. The first two were infilled cellars. It was hoped that the third would be undisturbed but this was, in fact, infilled with cut stone masonry rubble. It appears that it was also originally cellared. Judging by the quality of the stone - some architectural fragments were found and an arched doorway in the northernmost wall was noted by the Urban Survey - the rubble may be from the late medieval houses which were partly demolished prior to houses being built in the 1930s. Unfortunately, most of the dividing wall (between Nos. 4 and 5), which had survived the various rebuilds of this site, was demolished in 1992, under the Dangerous Buildings Act, as was part of the northernmost wall where the door is located. The southern wall which is the wall of the house to the south of the site was in very poor condition and was recently repaired. No archaeological deposits were identified within the cuttings. The surviving late medieval walls are to be retained within the new development' (www.excavations.ie)'. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 25 November 2019
- LI005-017130: House - medieval, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017130-. Excavation carried out by Celie O'Rahilly under licence No. 95E120 at Creagh Lane on the plot for No. 21 uncovered the remains of a late medieval house. The results of this excavation were summarised as following; 'Three test-cuttings were dug in the south-eastern half of the site to determine the archaeological potential in advance of a proposed development. Access to the other half of the site was restricted. The first cutting was at the rear of No. 22. One deposit, 1.5m below ground level and 0.5m thick, contained some bone and oyster shell, but nothing which could be used for dating purposes. In the second cutting, located near Creagh Lane on the plot for No. 21, and running north-east by south-west, the side wall of what appears to be a late medieval building was identified. This stone wall had the springer stones for a vault in situ 0.7m below the ground level. The inside face of the wall reached a total height of 2.7m, including the springer block and 0.5m of wall above it. At the south-west end of the cut, the remains of a small section of the voussoirs could be seen. The crown of the vault would have been located under No. 20, now a vacant site. At a level roughly corresponding to the base of the wall was a thin mixed layer overlying what could be the clay floor of the cellar. Below this was another thin dark mixed layer over the natural sandy silt. The total depth was 3.1m but, owing to the loose overlying fill, it was not possible to record accurate depths for the various deposits. The last cutting was dug near the frontage on a continuation of the line of the same wall. A brick cellar was identified below No. 21 Mary St.'(www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 25 November 2019
- LI005-017131: Excavation - miscellaneous, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017131-. Site excavated by Celie O'Rahilly under licence No. 97E0097 on Mary Street the result of which were summarised as following; 'The site, located within the medieval walled part of the Englishtown on the south-western side of Mary Street (referred to as High Street in the medieval period), was tested in advance of development. Previous assessment had been carried out in June 1995 (Excavations 1995, 55, 95E0120). Four additional cuttings, placed within the area of the proposed development, were opened following the demolition of the row of house Nos 22-24. To avoid confusion with the previous work these have been numbered 4-7. Two cuttings, 4 and 5, both fronting onto Mary Street, each contained a deposit of possible archaeological potential. In Cutting 4, at a depth of 1.65m below the street level, was a layer of mixed black soil, 0.25m thick. In Cutting 5 was a 0.7m-thick deposit of soft, damp, dark mixed clay, with charcoal, ash, animal bone and a few oyster shells. This occurred at a depth of 2.2m below street level. No finds were recovered from either deposit. Two walls, in Cuttings 4 and 7, coincided with the walls of the houses marked on the 1840 OS map' (www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 28 November 2019
- LI005-017132: Excavation - miscellaneous, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017132-. Excavations carried out at Little Creagh Lane by Celie O Rahilly in 1997 under licence No. 97E0453 were summarised as following; 'This site is located within the walled medieval Englishtown, behind (to the north-east of) Nos 4–9 George’s Quay but separated from it by an alley (now defunct). The site is defined by Creagh Lane to the south-east, Court House Lane to the north-east and Little Creagh Lane to the north-west. Previous testing was carried out for the development of Nos 4–5 George’s Quay—between the site and the Abbey River—in September 1991. The town wall was not identified. It was concluded that it was located either further south, under the path/road on George’s Quay, or within the bounds of the present site. According to the plot layout described in the Civil Survey, the town wall would appear to be located in the former position, i.e. under George’s Quay. The south-western half of this site (immediately behind the alley) was occupied by the chapel, with structures to the north-west. The north-eastern half of the site has been vacant since as least the early 1800s. None of the pre-1827 maps show specific buildings on this portion of the site, but the Civil Survey describes a series of houses, both stone and cagework, within the block defined by the town wall, Creagh Lane, Little Creagh Lane (marked Court House Lane on 1840s plan), and Halls Yard Lane (marked Little Creagh Lane on same). The Civil Survey plots were overlaid on the 1840s plan to give an idea of the layout in 1654. The OS map, 1840 edition, shows an ‘Old RC Chapel’ between the alley and Creagh Lane. This chapel, together with a chapel house, was erected, according to Lenihan (1866, 644), in 1778 by the Hermits of St Augustine, and occupied until 1823. Parts of the south-west and north-west walls of this structure survive. Three cuttings were made: 1, the south-east parallel to Creagh Lane, 2, the north-west parallel to Little Creagh Lane, and 3, the cross-cutting parallel to Court House Lane. In Cutting 1 a wall supporting brick arches was identified; it corresponded with both the north-eastern end of the extant wall and a building line on the 1840s plan. The brick vaulting it supported to the south-east was possibly related to the construction of the chapel. Similar vaulting was recorded during the excavation of Charlotte’s Quay; these were built, not as cellars, but to raise the overhead buildings above the tide level. At a depth of 2–2.2m was a black organic layer with a high twig content, animal bone, oyster shell, leather offcuts and waste. Three sherds of medieval pottery were recovered from it. On the south-western side of the wall this deposit was removed to a depth of 3.4m. The base was located at 3m below the surface, cutting the organic deposit. The wall face was vertical, i.e. no batter. On the other side of the wall a similar material was identified at a depth of 1.7m. Given the depth of the base, the underlying organic deposits and the lack of batter, this wall can reasonably be concluded not to be the town wall. In Cutting 2 the continuation of this wall was identified; this probably represents the property boundary as shown on the 1840s plan. At a depth of 1.8–3.7m a compacted brown soil occurred. There was no organic material. At the north-western end of Cutting 3, the fill was building debris which may relate to the stone house mentioned in the Civil Survey. At the opposite end, the dark fill, overlying natural, contained 17th-century potsherds. The natural would appear to slope down from the north-eastern side (at 1.8m in Cutting 3), increasing towards the river (3.7m in Cutting 2), with medieval deposits surviving on this slope at least on the south-eastern side of the site' (www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 19 December 2019
- LI005-017133: Excavation - miscellaneous, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017133-. Excavations carried out in John Street by Brian Hodkinson in 1987 prior to redevelopment were summarised as following; 'The area excavated lies at the corner of John St. and Davitt St. and measures c. 8m along John St. by c. 21m. The northern and southern boundaries are provided by the stone foundations of recently demolished buildings and a third wall foundation bisects the site longitudinally to form two plots. At the front of both plots were deep cellars which have removed all stratified deposits. All these walls are post 17th-century. Medieval features (LI005-017133-) were few, being mostly pits and depressions of uncertain function. There was one hearth, directly above the natural clay, which had been badly cut by the southern wall foundation. The absence of building remains, together with the presence of a grey-brown silty clay which covered the whole area, led to the conclusion that the area was back-yard or garden throughout the medieval period. The finds were few, being mostly pottery (imported and local) and animal bone. Seventeenth-century features were more substantial and included the remains of at least one wattle and daub structure (LI005-017135-) which had been destroyed by fire. The flue of a kiln (LI005-017134-) was also uncovered but its chamber had been destroyed by the cellars. A shallow pit at the mouth of the kiln was found to be contemporary with it and the two features seem to have formed one unit. Neither the pit nor the kiln produced definite evidence for the use of the kiln. A coin of James II was found in the demolition debris of the kiln' (www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 19 December 2019
- LI005-017134: Kiln, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017134-. Excavations carried out in John Street by Brian Hodkinson in 1987 prior to redevelopment were summarised as following; 'The area excavated lies at the corner of John St. and Davitt St. and measures c. 8m along John St. by c. 21m. The northern and southern boundaries are provided by the stone foundations of recently demolished buildings and a third wall foundation bisects the site longitudinally to form two plots. At the front of both plots were deep cellars which have removed all stratified deposits. All these walls are post 17th-century. Medieval features (LI005-017133-) were few, being mostly pits and depressions of uncertain function. There was one hearth, directly above the natural clay, which had been badly cut by the southern wall foundation. The absence of building remains, together with the presence of a grey-brown silty clay which covered the whole area, led to the conclusion that the area was back-yard or garden throughout the medieval period. The finds were few, being mostly pottery (imported and local) and animal bone. Seventeenth-century features were more substantial and included the remains of at least one wattle and daub structure (LI005-017135-) which had been destroyed by fire. The flue of a kiln (LI005-017134-) was also uncovered but its chamber had been destroyed by the cellars. A shallow pit at the mouth of the kiln was found to be contemporary with it and the two features seem to have formed one unit. Neither the pit nor the kiln produced definite evidence for the use of the kiln. A coin of James II was found in the demolition debris of the kiln' (www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 19 December 2019
- LI005-017135: Structure, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017135-. Excavations carried out in John Street by Brian Hodkinson in 1987 prior to redevelopment were summarised as following; 'The area excavated lies at the corner of John St. and Davitt St. and measures c. 8m along John St. by c. 21m. The northern and southern boundaries are provided by the stone foundations of recently demolished buildings and a third wall foundation bisects the site longitudinally to form two plots. At the front of both plots were deep cellars which have removed all stratified deposits. All these walls are post 17th-century. Medieval features (LI005-017133-) were few, being mostly pits and depressions of uncertain function. There was one hearth, directly above the natural clay, which had been badly cut by the southern wall foundation. The absence of building remains, together with the presence of a grey-brown silty clay which covered the whole area, led to the conclusion that the area was back-yard or garden throughout the medieval period. The finds were few, being mostly pottery (imported and local) and animal bone. Seventeenth-century features were more substantial and included the remains of at least one wattle and daub structure (LI005-017135-) which had been destroyed by fire. The flue of a kiln (LI005-017134-) was also uncovered but its chamber had been destroyed by the cellars. A shallow pit at the mouth of the kiln was found to be contemporary with it and the two features seem to have formed one unit. Neither the pit nor the kiln produced definite evidence for the use of the kiln. A coin of James II was found in the demolition debris of the kiln' (www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 19 December 2019
- LI005-017136: Excavation - miscellaneous, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017136-. Excavations carried out at Broad Street/Curry Lane by Kenneth Wiggins in 1989 were summarised as following; 'The site was located within Irishtown, the southern of Limerick’s two medieval walled precincts. A new housing development was planned for an area adjacent to Grattan Street, which had been cleared of earlier dwellings. Archaeological excavation was undertaken because of the site’s position on Broad Street, the main thoroughfare of Irishtown. However, trial holes revealed the street frontage to have been cellared in the 19th century; excavation therefore was confined to the rear of the area, further east towards Curry Lane, where medieval levels were relatively undisturbed. The work was funded by Limerick Corporation and lasted seven weeks. A mechanical excavator took off the surface concrete and unstratified rubble up to 1m in depth; a trench measuring 20m (north-south) by 8m (east-west) was established. The earliest evidence for occupation consisted mainly of unlined pits cut into the subsoil, a few of which were quite large. One of these features contained cess material, another some compact peaty deposits, but in general the pits were backfilled with loose garden soil. These early contents were associated with pottery sherds of 13th-14th-century date. A thick covering of homogeneous garden soil was then introduced, except at the higher south-west corner where some random spreads of ashy material and silty clays containing animal bones and wood fragments had been deposited. The garden soil accumulation was cut by a few more pits, and also by two walls of medieval origin. One of the walls was aligned east-west and divided the trench in two; it survived to a maximum height of 0.5m. Associated with this wall was a second which extended south along the east limit of the excavation for a distance of 5m, and survived to a maximum height of nearly 2m. Both walls were made of faced, unmortared limestone, and underwent rebuilding during the medieval period. Evidence for later medieval activity included a dense group of timber stakes driven into the garden soil directly over one of the largest early pits. The purpose seems to have been to consolidate ground that would not otherwise have supported the weight of a substantial structure. An unrelated wall-footing which consisted of a single east-west line of stones was situated a little to the east. Post-medieval occupation was represented by a large stone-lined drain, which had an excavated length of 3m, an internal width of up to 1m and was 1.2m deep. There was evidence for widely-spaced timber supports within the structure, and also for timber-beam roofing. The cess infill contained sherds of 17th-century pottery. The bottom of a barrel pit was also excavated. Machine clearance of demolition debris to the west of the trench exposed the base of a clay-pipe kiln. It survived as a circular brick-built surface with a diameter of 1.67m. Three flues made of brick radiated out from the kiln centre. These remains were covered by a destruction layer of stones, mortar lumps, and brick fragments, replete with many clay-pipe pieces. The markings on the pipe bowls suggest that the kiln was destroyed at the end of the 19th century. The excavation demonstrated that there were no dwellings fronting onto Curry Lane in the medieval period. The area was characterised initially by desultory pit-digging, and was probably under cultivation much of the time. Subdivision at a later stage, represented by the central east-west wall, created two properties which would have fronted onto Broad Street to the west. In the northern of these properties some structural development is implied by the presence of timber piling and by a wall footing. In the southern, there was little remaining apart from some scatters of dumped material. The advent of major housing development in the 19th century caused quite extensive destruction of the later medieval/early post-medieval levels' (www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 19 December 2019
- LI005-017137: Excavation - miscellaneous, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017137-. Excavations carried out at Charlotte's Quay by Christine Tarbett and Kenneth Wiggins in 1989 were summarised as following; 'The site was located on Charlotte’s Quay along the south side of the Abbey River, a short distance west of Broad Street. It lay on the eastern end of a large car park. The last remaining houses on the north-west side of Broad Street were demolished to make way for a new development. An excavation to the west undertaken by the OPW in 1981 by Dr Ann Lynch exposed the foundations of the medieval town wall (LI005-017010-) and the remains of a twin-towered gate known as the West Watergate. A second excavation was now carried out because trial trenches revealed the existence of stratified medieval deposits to the east of the former excavation limit, and also in order to locate the site of the ‘Castle’ (LI005-017138-) indicated on the O.S. maps of 1840 and 1871. The project was funded by Limerick Corporation and lasted seven months. A single trench was established, for the purposes of excavation subdivided into three: Area 1 (north), Area 2 (centre), Area 3 (south). Area 1 This area measured 8.5m (north-south) by 10m (east-west). Stratified deposits up to 3.1m in depth survived at the northern limit. Excavation was conducted in circumstances made difficult by tidal flooding from the Abbey River to the north. The earliest features were associated with pottery of late 12th- early 14th-century date. Among the first structures were two limestone walls aligned east-west and founded on subsoil. They were covered by organic accumulations containing wooden bowls, leather shoes and a leather scabbard and also textile fragments. A wall aligned north-south was partly constructed over the first two walls. It had an excavated length of 7.1m, and survived up to 2m in height. Later features included the sandstone-built remains of a keyhole-plan kiln (LI005-17139-). This had a cobbled chamber with an internal diameter of 0.9m and was surfaced with sandstone slabs. The western limit of Area 1 was defined by a very substantial wall aligned north-south. It had an excavated length of 10.4m and masonry survived to a height of c. 1.5m. This wall was contemporary with a second wall which extended east from its southern end for a distance of 5m. The north-south wall was penetrated by a stone-lined drain. Some post-medieval deposits were excavated, including part of a cobbled surface. Area 2 The dimensions of this area were 7.5m (north-south) by 12m (east-west). It contained stratified deposits up to 1.83m in depth. The earliest feature was a subsoil-cutting ditch aligned east-west. It was partially covered to the north by a compact layer of mortar, deposited directly on the subsoil. This material was probably in phase with the construction of the walls forming the west and south sides of Area 1 to the north. To the east of the mortar was a very large pit, at the base of which was some organic clay which produced an intact leather shoe. In general, though, the material deposited over the mortar surface and into the upper levels of the pit consisted of rather sterile clays and gravels. Two later pits, located on the eastern limit of the area, were filled with dark organic clay containing pottery sherds of 13th- 14th-century date. The pit fills were sealed by dumps of ash material containing small metal artefacts and slag. Quite a large part of the area to the south was covered with hard redeposited boulder clay. Two parallel medieval walls aligned east-west formed the north and south limits of Area 2. They pre-dated the remains of a structure located on the western side of the area. This survived as the east, north and west foundations of a square-planned building, measuring 6.73m (north-south), by 6.3m (east-west). The west wall was the best preserved. It had an external base batter, and faced stonework founded on subsoil survived to a height of 1.09m. The wall had a minimum width of 1.3m. A garderobe chute was incorporated into the north-west corner of the structure with two external outlets. These foundations have been interpreted as the remains of a tower which, based on its dimensions and locality, can be identified as the ‘Castle’ (LI005-017138-) of the O.S. maps. Area 3 This area measured 8m (north-south) by 12m (east-west). It was sited over part of West Watergate Lane, an alley that extended due west from Broad Street. About 0.7m below the modern ground level, the surface of the medieval precursor of West Watergate Lane was found intact. It survived as a cobbled road up to 3.5m in width. The limestone cobbles were randomly set and deposited in a layer up to 0.5m thick. Deep longitudinal ruts were visible in many of the stones, attesting to the passage of a great volume of wheeled traffic in medieval times. In addition, a square-planned structure, probably a tower, was sited directly over the laneway. In plan it measured 6m square. It was located about 20m east of the remains of West Watergate excavated in 1981, and 18m west of Broad Street. The remains of the north and south walls were rather fragmentary, but survived in part to 1m in height. The ends of the walls projected in towards the lane and these terminals would probably have carried an archway, one big enough to permit carriages on the lane to pass through the building. There was some evidence for the position of a gate on the west side in the form of an iron pivot attached to the base of the north wall. The lane was bounded by two walls which connected the inner structure to the main West Watergate in the circuit of the town walls. Conclusion Given that the excavation was on a large scale, and taking the findings made by the OPW in 1981, it is no surprise that a great wealth of detail has emerged relating to the layout and development of a significant portion of the north-west corner of Irishtown in the medieval period. It is perhaps to be regretted that no domestic dwellings of the period were uncovered; however, the chief objective of the work was to locate the ‘Castle’ (LI005-017138-) of the first O.S. series, indicated well to the west of Broad Street where the majority of the houses would have been assembled. Since the site of the ‘Castle’ (LI005-017138-) was indeed discovered, the excavation can be considered a success. Furthermore, the archaeological record was enhanced by the discovery of a considerable stretch of the original West Watergate Lane, together with evidence for a related tower structure as depicted on William Eyer’s map of 1752. The most important factor conditioning the settlement of this region of Irishtown was the proximity of the Abbey River on the north side. There was a dramatic drop in the level of natural clay towards the river, which would have been considerably wider than it is today. However, attempts were made in the medieval period to build as close to the river as possible, directly on the low-lying ground. These efforts were represented by the two early east-west walls in Area 1, and the more substantial north-south wall built over them. The former were probably short-lived owing to the rapid silting process inevitable at that level, while the latter seems to have been quickly superseded by the larger wall paralleled with it on the west side. This wall appears to mark the western limit of medieval land reclamation along the south side of the Abbey River. Materials deposited to the east of it were probably introduced specifically to raise the ground level for occupation purposes, though over a fairly lengthy period of time. The construction surface associated with the large western wall, the mortar-covered ground in Area 2, was itself soon buried beneath gravel and stony clays brought in to establish a new, and considerably raised, ground level. Early pits excavated in Area 2 did not seem to respect property divisions, but these were later formalised with the construction of the two east-west walls. These would have represented the north and south limits
- LI005-017138: Castle - unclassified, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017138-. Excavations carried out at Charlotte's Quay by Christine Tarbett and Kenneth Wiggins in 1989 were summarised as following; 'The site was located on Charlotte’s Quay along the south side of the Abbey River, a short distance west of Broad Street. It lay on the eastern end of a large car park. The last remaining houses on the north-west side of Broad Street were demolished to make way for a new development. An excavation to the west undertaken by the OPW in 1981 by Dr Ann Lynch exposed the foundations of the medieval town wall (LI005-017010-) and the remains of a twin-towered gate known as the West Watergate. A second excavation was now carried out because trial trenches revealed the existence of stratified medieval deposits to the east of the former excavation limit, and also in order to locate the site of the ‘Castle’ (LI005-017138-) indicated on the O.S. maps of 1840 and 1871. The project was funded by Limerick Corporation and lasted seven months. A single trench was established, for the purposes of excavation subdivided into three: Area 1 (north), Area 2 (centre), Area 3 (south). Area 2 The dimensions of this area were 7.5m (north-south) by 12m (east-west). It contained stratified deposits up to 1.83m in depth. The earliest feature was a subsoil-cutting ditch aligned east-west. It was partially covered to the north by a compact layer of mortar, deposited directly on the subsoil. This material was probably in phase with the construction of the walls forming the west and south sides of Area 1 to the north. To the east of the mortar was a very large pit, at the base of which was some organic clay which produced an intact leather shoe. In general, though, the material deposited over the mortar surface and into the upper levels of the pit consisted of rather sterile clays and gravels. Two later pits, located on the eastern limit of the area, were filled with dark organic clay containing pottery sherds of 13th- 14th-century date. The pit fills were sealed by dumps of ash material containing small metal artefacts and slag. Quite a large part of the area to the south was covered with hard redeposited boulder clay. Two parallel medieval walls aligned east-west formed the north and south limits of Area 2. They pre-dated the remains of a structure located on the western side of the area. This survived as the east, north and west foundations of a square-planned building, measuring 6.73m (north-south), by 6.3m (east-west). The west wall was the best preserved. It had an external base batter, and faced stonework founded on subsoil survived to a height of 1.09m. The wall had a minimum width of 1.3m. A garderobe chute was incorporated into the north-west corner of the structure with two external outlets. These foundations have been interpreted as the remains of a tower which, based on its dimensions and locality, can be identified as the ‘Castle’ (LI005-017138-) of the O.S. maps. Conclusion Given that the excavation was on a large scale, and taking the findings made by the OPW in 1981, it is no surprise that a great wealth of detail has emerged relating to the layout and development of a significant portion of the north-west corner of Irishtown in the medieval period. It is perhaps to be regretted that no domestic dwellings of the period were uncovered; however, the chief objective of the work was to locate the ‘Castle’ (LI005-017138-) of the first O.S. series, indicated well to the west of Broad Street where the majority of the houses would have been assembled. Since the site of the ‘Castle’ (LI005-017138-) was indeed discovered, the excavation can be considered a success. Furthermore, the archaeological record was enhanced by the discovery of a considerable stretch of the original West Watergate Lane, together with evidence for a related tower structure as depicted on William Eyer’s map of 1752. The most important factor conditioning the settlement of this region of Irishtown was the proximity of the Abbey River on the north side. There was a dramatic drop in the level of natural clay towards the river, which would have been considerably wider than it is today. However, attempts were made in the medieval period to build as close to the river as possible, directly on the low-lying ground. These efforts were represented by the two early east-west walls in Area 1, and the more substantial north-south wall built over them. The former were probably short-lived owing to the rapid silting process inevitable at that level, while the latter seems to have been quickly superseded by the larger wall paralleled with it on the west side. This wall appears to mark the western limit of medieval land reclamation along the south side of the Abbey River. Materials deposited to the east of it were probably introduced specifically to raise the ground level for occupation purposes, though over a fairly lengthy period of time. The construction surface associated with the large western wall, the mortar-covered ground in Area 2, was itself soon buried beneath gravel and stony clays brought in to establish a new, and considerably raised, ground level. Early pits excavated in Area 2 did not seem to respect property divisions, but these were later formalised with the construction of the two east-west walls. These would have represented the north and south limits of a property fronted by a dwelling located on the corner of Broad Street and West Watergate Lane. Although the excavation did not extend to Broad Street frontages, our knowledge of Irishtown as a centre for Limerick’s artisan community is augmented by the discovery of the kiln (LI005-17139-) in Area 1, possibly used for corn-drying, and with the excavation of several layers containing slag at the east end of Area 2, which point to the presence of a metal-working business along Broad Street. Otherwise there is a great variety of backyard activity represented by the remains of clay floors, stone scatters, and numerous groupings of stake-holes etc. The excavation revealed that there was much more to the defences of this quarter of the Irishtown than simply the town wall itself, and the twin-towered West Watergate excavated in 1981. The presence of an inner gate tower and walls flanking the lane which connected that structure to the main gate conveys a definite concern with security. This is confirmed by the subsequent appearance of the tower or ‘Castle’ (LI005-017138-) adjoining the inner gate tower from the north. This desire for strong fortifications is probably a reflection of the strategic location of the West Watergate close to Baal’s Bridge, the only link between Irishtown and Englishtown, or King’s Island, to the north. In the wake of the 18th-century reconstruction of the city, West Watergate Lane was resurfaced and continued as a route leading to Broad Street. However, the other monuments outlined above were levelled and their foundations covered over' (www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 19 December 2019
- LI005-017139: Kiln - corn-drying, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017139-. Excavations carried out at Charlotte's Quay by Christine Tarbett and Kenneth Wiggins in 1989 were summarised as following; 'The site was located on Charlotte’s Quay along the south side of the Abbey River, a short distance west of Broad Street. It lay on the eastern end of a large car park. The last remaining houses on the north-west side of Broad Street were demolished to make way for a new development. An excavation to the west undertaken by the OPW in 1981 by Dr Ann Lynch exposed the foundations of the medieval town wall (LI005-017010-) and the remains of a twin-towered gate known as the West Watergate. A second excavation was now carried out because trial trenches revealed the existence of stratified medieval deposits to the east of the former excavation limit, and also in order to locate the site of the ‘Castle’ (LI005-017138-) indicated on the O.S. maps of 1840 and 1871. The project was funded by Limerick Corporation and lasted seven months. A single trench was established, for the purposes of excavation subdivided into three: Area 1 (north), Area 2 (centre), Area 3 (south). Area 1 This area measured 8.5m (north-south) by 10m (east-west). Stratified deposits up to 3.1m in depth survived at the northern limit. Excavation was conducted in circumstances made difficult by tidal flooding from the Abbey River to the north. The earliest features were associated with pottery of late 12th- early 14th-century date. Among the first structures were two limestone walls aligned east-west and founded on subsoil. They were covered by organic accumulations containing wooden bowls, leather shoes and a leather scabbard and also textile fragments. A wall aligned north-south was partly constructed over the first two walls. It had an excavated length of 7.1m, and survived up to 2m in height. Later features included the sandstone-built remains of a keyhole-plan kiln (LI005-17139-). This had a cobbled chamber with an internal diameter of 0.9m and was surfaced with sandstone slabs. The western limit of Area 1 was defined by a very substantial wall aligned north-south. It had an excavated length of 10.4m and masonry survived to a height of c. 1.5m. This wall was contemporary with a second wall which extended east from its southern end for a distance of 5m. The north-south wall was penetrated by a stone-lined drain. Some post-medieval deposits were excavated, including part of a cobbled surface. Although the excavation did not extend to Broad Street frontages, our knowledge of Irishtown as a centre for Limerick’s artisan community is augmented by the discovery of the kiln in Area 1, possibly used for corn-drying, and with the excavation of several layers containing slag at the east end of Area 2, which point to the presence of a metal-working business along Broad Street. Otherwise there is a great variety of backyard activity represented by the remains of clay floors, stone scatters, and numerous groupings of stake-holes etc. The excavation revealed that there was much more to the defences of this quarter of the Irishtown than simply the town wall itself, and the twin-towered West Watergate excavated in 1981. The presence of an inner gate tower and walls flanking the lane which connected that structure to the main gate conveys a definite concern with security. This is confirmed by the subsequent appearance of the tower or ‘Castle’ (LI005-017138-) adjoining the inner gate tower from the north. This desire for strong fortifications is probably a reflection of the strategic location of the West Watergate close to Baal’s Bridge, the only link between Irishtown and Englishtown, or King’s Island, to the north. In the wake of the 18th-century reconstruction of the city, West Watergate Lane was resurfaced and continued as a route leading to Broad Street. However, the other monuments outlined above were levelled and their foundations covered over. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 19 December 2019
- LI005-017140: House - medieval, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017140-. Excavations carried out on King's Island by Brian Hodkinson in 1989 were summarised as following; 'To the south of King John’s Castle [LI005-017014-]. Several trenches were excavated in the area between the castle and the new Civic Office Complex to help establish the levels to which the area could be landscaped. The full line of the medieval city wall extending south from the south-west tower of the castle was established along the riverside. In the same area, the undercroft, (Archaeology Ireland, Vol. 2. no. 4, Winter 1988) was investigated. There are two main phases to this building. The earliest of these was the outer shell of the building, measuring 22m long east-west x 7m wide. It was set into the slope to the east and was entered through a doorway in the middle of the north wall with a possible second door through the west wall leading to the river. There was evidence for windows in all but the west wall. The second phase saw the insertion of the impressive arches and wicker-centred barrel vaults. These are carried on the walls built up against the earlier north and south walls and the area was bisected by a 5-arched central wall, forming two long bays. There were similar arches in the side walls which were centred on the openings in the Phase 1 walls. The southern bay has a continuous east-west vault, but that in the northern bay is interrupted in the central portion around the doorway by a vault on the opposite axis, carried on arches which spring from the piers of the central arch of the spine wall. It is assumed that this change in direction is to allow for headroom at the entrance. All the vaults bear traces of wicker centring and, on this basis, the second phase is believed to be of a late medieval date. Limited trial trenching in the northern bay failed to refine this Phase 2 date, but two trenches against the outer wall produced sherds suggesting a 13th- 14th-century date for the earlier phase. The whole of the undercroft was cleared of an accumulation of modern debris and is now to be displayed as part of the amenity area of the adjacent Civic Offices' (www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 19 December 2019
- LI005-017141: Kiln, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017141-. Excavations carried out at St. Francis Street by Florence Hurley in 1996 under licence No. 95E0218 were summarised as following; 'This site is one of a number that will be affected by the construction of the Northern Relief Road through this part of Englishtown. Trial-trenching in 1988 had indicated the presence of walls and human bone. The site has long been associated with the Franciscan friary [LI005-079----] founded in 1267. It lies just outside the eastern part of the town wall, and to the south lies Long Lane. The structures of the friary went gradually into ruin after its dissolution between 1540 and 1548. What remained was removed when the county courthouse was built on the site c. 1732. It was demolished in the middle of the last century. Twelve trenches were opened along the rake of the new road, and archaeological material was found in eight of these. This can be divided into five main phases. Pre-friary activity This consisted of a series of organic deposits, 1.5m deep. From these came a relatively large amount of animal bone and occasional sherds of local and imported medieval pottery. Near the base of these deposits was a cobbled surface. The friary The organic deposits were covered by a silty clay layer, 0.25m thick, laid down to seal the underlying material. The western end of the nave and part of a southern aisle were found. These were constructed predominantly of brown sandstone. A 13m section of the southern aisle wall was found, consisting of five blind arches, each c. 1.5m wide. This wall, together with the western and southern walls of the friary, had been badly truncated by the building of the courthouse walls on top of them. A fortunate survival was a virtually intact in situ column base for a compound pier on its plinth, which had survived by being buried within a later wall. A possible second plinth and a stone moulding were found 5m to the east. The width of the aisle is 4.5m and the width of the nave is 8.5m. Very little remained of the floor levels within the building owing to the severe truncation caused by the burials. No evidence was found for the location of the domestic range to the north of the site, despite the opening of several trenches there. Industrial activity A linear kiln was uncovered south of the church, associated with two phases of stake-holes and two stone-packed post-holes. The county courthouse The construction of this building removed or masked most of the earlier structures and used the church walls as a foundation. Numerous pieces of cut stone were recovered from these later walls.' (www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 19 December 2019
- LI005-017142: Excavation - miscellaneous, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017142-. Excavations carried out at St. Francis Street by Florence Hurley in 1996 under licence No. 95E0218 were summarised as following; 'This site is one of a number that will be affected by the construction of the Northern Relief Road through this part of Englishtown. Trial-trenching in 1988 had indicated the presence of walls and human bone. The site has long been associated with the Franciscan friary [LI005-079----] founded in 1267. It lies just outside the eastern part of the town wall, and to the south lies Long Lane. The structures of the friary went gradually into ruin after its dissolution between 1540 and 1548. What remained was removed when the county courthouse was built on the site c. 1732. It was demolished in the middle of the last century. Twelve trenches were opened along the rake of the new road, and archaeological material was found in eight of these. This can be divided into five main phases. Pre-friary activity This consisted of a series of organic deposits, 1.5m deep. From these came a relatively large amount of animal bone and occasional sherds of local and imported medieval pottery. Near the base of these deposits was a cobbled surface' (www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 19 December 2019
- LI005-017143: Burial ground, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017143-. Excavations carried out at St. Francis Street by Florence Hurley in 1996 under licence No. 95E0218 were summarised as following; 'This site is one of a number that will be affected by the construction of the Northern Relief Road through this part of Englishtown. Trial-trenching in 1988 had indicated the presence of walls and human bone. The site has long been associated with the Franciscan friary [LI005-079----] founded in 1267. It lies just outside the eastern part of the town wall, and to the south lies Long Lane. The structures of the friary went gradually into ruin after its dissolution between 1540 and 1548. What remained was removed when the county courthouse was built on the site c. 1732. It was demolished in the middle of the last century. Twelve trenches were opened along the rake of the new road, and archaeological material was found in eight of these. The friary The organic deposits were covered by a silty clay layer, 0.25m thick, laid down to seal the underlying material. The western end of the nave and part of a southern aisle were found. These were constructed predominantly of brown sandstone. A 13m section of the southern aisle wall was found, consisting of five blind arches, each c. 1.5m wide. This wall, together with the western and southern walls of the friary, had been badly truncated by the building of the courthouse walls on top of them. A fortunate survival was a virtually intact in situ column base for a compound pier on its plinth, which had survived by being buried within a later wall. A possible second plinth and a stone moulding were found 5m to the east. The width of the aisle is 4.5m and the width of the nave is 8.5m. Very little remained of the floor levels within the building owing to the severe truncation caused by the burials. No evidence was found for the location of the domestic range to the north of the site, despite the opening of several trenches there. In the northernmost area of the site part of a structure was found whose style of construction is quite similar of that of the church. It consisted of a 5m section of wall with a small chamber, 1.4m by 1.5m, attached to its northern side. This had been truncated by post-medieval activity to the west. If any of the domestic range survives, it may lie further to the east. The burials A total of 465 articulated human burials were uncovered, along with a considerable amount of disarticulated bone. Virtually all of these came from within the church. Some are likely to be medieval in date, but the bulk of them of them date from the late sixteenth to early eighteenth century. Phases of burials were separated from each other by deposits deliberately introduced to seal the preceding burials. Male, female and infant burials are present, with a noticeable concentration of the latter inside the northern wall of the nave. Most of those buried were wrapped in shrouds, as numerous shroud-pins were found. Traces of coffins were found in some of the later graves. Several burials lying outside the aisle were lying face down and/or were aligned north-south. Four stone-lined graves were uncovered. From one of these came part of a lead coffin with an incised cross on its lid. The lower half of the coffin had been truncated by one of the courthouse walls. A virtually intact timber coffin was also found. The county courthouse The construction of this building removed or masked most of the earlier structures and used the church walls as a foundation. Numerous pieces of cut stone were recovered from these later walls.' (www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 19 December 2019
- LI005-017144: Graveyard, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017144-. Graveyard belonging to St. Nicholas' Church (LI005-017114-) in Limerick City described in the Urban Survey of Limerick (Bradley et. al. 1989, 300) as following; 'First mentioned in the inquisition of 1200-1 (MacCaffrey 1907, 27, 28) it is listed as the dean’s parish in Bishop Donatus O’Brien’s ordinance of 1204-6 (ibid., 116). It was included among the Limerick churches to which Geoffrey Galwey bequeathed a legacy in 1445 (Westropp 1898, 122-3). It was located near the Castle Barrack and is shown on the Hardiman map of c.1590 as having a side aisle to the north of the main building, a central tower with low pointed spire and a planted cemetery. It was destroyed in 1651 (Westropp 1904-5, 358-9)'. Archaeological excavations carried out by Kenneth Wiggins under licence No. 98E0047 revealed skeletal material which may have come from the graveyard belonging to St. Nicholas' Church. The results of this excavation were summarised as following; 'This site lies along the southern side of the Castle Lane development next to King John's Castle. The alms houses were built in the 19th century in the former grounds of St Nicholas's parish church, which was demolished in the second half of the 17th century. The Castle Lane architectural consultants, Murray Ó Laoire Associates, suggested that a combined gas/ESB service trench be dug on the site as part of the groundwork in connection with the construction of Castle Lane. Approval to dig the trench was granted by Limerick Corporation, owners of the alms-house terrace. Work began without archaeological consultation in the garden nearest Nicholas Street on 9 January 1998 but was quickly suspended when some human bone remains were uncovered, denoting the presence of burials relating to the graveyard of the church. Following this discovery arrangements were made to have the digging of the trench archaeologically monitored. However, owing to objections from the residents and other problems, the contractor opted to lay the services along the southern side of the Castle Lane site itself. Therefore the limited area already disturbed at the eastern end of the garden was backfilled and no further work on the site took place' (www.excavations.ie). In 2000 and 2001 archaeological investigations carried out in this area by Celie O'Rahilly of Limerick Corporation and the results were summarised as following; 'This work consisted of a complete refurbishment of both Nicholas Street and Mary Street, in advance of laying a new water main, storm-water sewers and cable ducts. The work extended from the northern end of Nicholas Street, near the Parade (just south of King John’s Castle), to the southern end of Mary Street, near Baal’s Bridge. Additional refurbishment work was carried out along the full length of George’s Quay. In the course of this work, the town wall was identified. As this work is ongoing, it will be dealt with in 2001. All of the work was carried out on what had been the High Street or Great Street of the Englishtown, but for the most part the pipe-trenches were cut through ground that had already been disturbed by a culvert-type sewer down most of the length at a depth of 3m and also by water mains and old and new gas mains (both with individual supplies to the buildings) at different depths. These service trenches resulted in the complete disturbance of the street stratigraphy. The new water main was placed more or less central to the street at an average depth of 1m below the old street level; the ducts were placed under the new footpaths on both sides of the street. Disarticulated human bones, two sherds of medieval pottery and one piece of post-medieval pottery were recovered on Nicholas Street at the entrance to the Corporation’s Almshouse. These were scattered under the concrete footpath on ground that had previously been disturbed by service trenches to the Almshouse and by the restoration of its entrance gate and perimeter wall sometime in the 1970s. The base of these walls seems to be set no deeper than the old street-surface level. Presumably the bones are from the graveyard, which would have been associated with St Nicholas’s medieval parish church to the south of the castle. They are depicted on the Hardiman map of 1590 (TCD MS 1209/57). According to Westropp (1904-5, 354), ‘It was in good repair in 1615’. The church was apparently ‘destroyed’ during the sieges (either 1642 or 1651). Both are mentioned in the Civil Survey of 1654 (Simington 1938, 444): ‘...Church, Churchyard and...is set...by the Comrs of Revenue’, which suggests that they were no longer used for ecclesiastical purposes. A 1658 copy of a taxation of around the early 1400s, made, with annotations, by White, states: ‘The parish church of St Nicholas...Its vicarage belongs to the college of the vicars choral. No traces of this church exist; but it was near the King’s Castle, on the south side’ (Lenihan 1866, 558). Although there were two distinct parishes, St Nicholas’s and St Mary’s, the former was amalgamated to the latter, and the smaller church was presumably deconsecrated and used for secular purposes until it was finally razed. According to Ferrar (1787), the Almshouses were built ‘after the Capitulation of Limerick’ (i.e. the Siege of 1691), probably in the early 1700s. By this stage, the graveyard had not only been out of use for some time, but, presumably, its presence was not remembered' (www.excavations.ie). In 2013 excavations carried out by Aegis Archaeology were summarised as following; 'Monitoring of development works for a parking space near the Widow’s Alms Houses led to the identification of a minimum of seven in situ burials, as well as a quantity of disarticulated human remains. The burials lay directly below the top sod and a thin layer of topsoil. The burials were unexcavated, but were examined by osteo-archaeologist Linda Lynch, on whose report this summary is based. Analysis of the disarticulated bone recovered during the stripping of the site produced an MNI (minimum number of individuals) of three adults and three juveniles. It is possible that these bones originated from some of the seven identified burials, but it is equally likely that at least some of the bones were from burials previously truncated in the area which were not identified during the present works. Development works ceased once the human skeletal remains appeared. It is extremely likely that these are only a small sample of the burials in this location and the likelihood is that there are many more burials both in this site and in the immediate area. The burials also represent the most recent archaeological phase on the site. The site is recorded on www.archaeology.ie as a graveyard, LI005-017144-. In addition, it is known that the site of the medieval church of St Nicholas, LI005-017114-, is located just to the south of the present development. Thus the identification of human burials at this site is not unexpected. As far as could be determined, most of the burials were extended, with the head to the south-west, an entirely normal orientation in terms of Christian burials. The exception was Skeleton 2, c. 3 years, which lay with the head to the north-east. The only adult in the in situ burials was buried in a prone position, lying on the stomach, and was possibly female, although this was based only on morphological features. The pelvis is a more reliable indicator of sex, but exposure of other bones during the present assessment would simply accelerate decomposition of the remains, and the premise was always on minimal disturbance of the remains. After analysis by the osteo-archaeologist, the burials were covered in terram, a layer of sand, then a layer of reinforced concrete, and so are preserved in situ. These works were also monitored' (www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 25 July 2019
- LI005-017145: Burial ground, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017145-. This is the record for the section of burial ground, [LI005-017143-) probably part of that belonging to the Franciscan Friary (LI005-079----), excavated by Linda G. Lynch (02E1665; 03E1364). The in situ remains of five individuals (four adults, one juvenile) were recorded, along with a quantity of disarticulated human remains. A single coffin with no discernible grave-cut was visible in the north-eastern corner of the excavation. A duplicate entry with LI005-017143-.
- LI005-017146: Excavation - miscellaneous, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017146-. Excavations carried out at 5-7 John's Gate by Celie O Rahilly in 1999 under licence No. 99E0362 were summarised as following; 'This site was at the eastern end of the south side of St John's Square, abutting the last house. It was within the town wall [LI005-017010-], to the west of the site of John's Gate. It was to have been tested with two cuttings. However, on arrival at the site following the demolition on 5 August 1999, it was found that a machine cutting had already been opened without archaeological supervision. The trench was approximately central to the site. The western section was cleaned off and drawn at 1:10. A panel along the base of the section was also cleaned. In this, one sherd of local medieval pottery was found at the southern end. Tight against the base of the section was a small cavity through stones. This was not opened. A post-hole was 0.18m from the baulk, and there was a pit that was partially excavated. Three bands of layers were identified in the section. The upper one was post-medieval, and the next, identified by the pottery, was of medieval date. There were no finds from the lowest one. Given the presence of such archaeological material, the decision was taken to omit the proposed cellar from the new development' (www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 19 December 2019
- LI005-017147: Bastioned fort, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017147-. Speed's map of Munster c. 1610 shows a projecting fortification protecting the W side of Thomond Gate which gave access to the medieval walled town (LI005-017010-) of Limerick via Thomond Bridge (LI005-017002-). Test excavations carried out on site of extramural gate [Thomond Gate] at the western end of Thomond Bridge by Edmond O'Donovan, Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd under licence no. 99E0407, the results of which were summarised as following; 'The medieval defences of the city included an extramural gate at the western end of Thomond Bridge, hence the etymology of the placename 'Thomond Gate'. The gate was on the bridge and has been illustrated on early maps of the town, including Hardiman's map, dated 1590. Speed's map, dated 1610, illustrates a star-shaped fort outside Thomond Gate. These post-medieval earthen fortifications are further illustrated on Greenville's map, c. 1640, and are likely to have been developed and altered to withstand the various 17th-century sieges of the city. The modern streetscape (Mass Lane, Castleview Avenue and Halloran's Lane) around Thomond Gate may reflect the line of elements of these earthworks. However, little consistency exists in the cartographic sources on the layout and exact location of the earthen defences around the Thomond Gate area. Test excavation was carried out at Thomond Gate. Five test-trenches, 4-6m long, were excavated on the location of manhole shafts within the zone of archaeological potential at the western end of Thomond Bridge. River gravels or natural boulder clay was encountered in all of the trenches; no archaeological indicators were found above these deposits. The assessment was limited to the construction corridor of the Main Drainage Scheme and as a result could not shed any further light on the nature of the post-medieval earthwork defences in the Thomond Gate area. It is proposed to monitor all construction work in the zone of archaeological potential' (www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 20 December 2019
- LI005-017148: Building, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017148-. Test excavations carried out at 48-50 Mary Street by Tracy Collins, Aegis Archaeology Ltd. under licence no. 00E0635, the results of which were summarised as following; 'This limited excavation was undertaken in advance of a proposed inner-city housing project on the medieval main street (now Mary Street) of the Englishtown of Limerick City. The site is bounded to the south by Fish Lane, to the east by the Northern Relief Road, to the west by Mary Street and to the north by the adjoining property. Owing to extensive cellaring at the site, a trenching brief was formulated by the city archaeologist, Celie O Rahilly, who also monitored the removal of site overburden prior to the excavation. Two trenches were excavated by hand. Trench A was orientated east–west and measured 15m by 4m, reducing to 2m depth. Trench B was orientated north–south and measured 30m by 4m, reducing with depth to 2m. Much of the archaeological stratigraphy of Trench A had been removed by later activities, but the east end of the trench did have in situ archaeological layers. These remains were interpreted as medieval dump deposits, with medieval pottery sherds providing dating evidence. A stone drain only could be identified as an in situ feature. The southern end of Trench B was found to have been disturbed by cellar activity, and all archaeological stratigraphy had been removed. Trench B also yielded several dump deposits, which included some timber planking and an in situ drain, once covered by wattle matting. At the northern end of a trench, a U-shaped cut was exposed, which contained three distinct fills. Because of the narrowness of the trench, it is difficult to interpret the feature, but it appears to be some sort of ditch or layer pit. At the centre of Trench B, two distinct features were excavated. C64 was an area of timber stakes that ran in a general east–west direction and has been tentatively identified as the burgage plot boundary. The second feature, C70, was a stone-lined drain, with timber stakes holding the lining in place and with an associated wattle matting tentatively identified as the drain cover. Finds from the excavation included post-medieval and medieval pottery, animal bone, timbers, mortar bomb fragments and one fragment of human skull. During the overburden clearance, the remains of an undercroft vault were uncovered, with several of its limestone springing stones in situ. The undercroft area measured 6.5m north–south by 10m. The thickness of the vault wall was 0.87m. A precise date has not yet been allocated to the feature, but it is likely to be 16th- or 17th-century in date' (www.excavations.ie). In 2002 a second excavation was carried out by Tracy Collins, Aegis Archaeology Ltd. under licence no. 00E0635 ext., the results of which were summarised as following; 'Part of this site was excavated in 2000 before development (Excavations 2000, No. 594; Collins 2002). The remainder of the site was tested in 2002 to see whether there were archaeological remains in that part and to investigate further an undercroft feature partially exposed during the 2000 excavation. Six trenches were opened on the site, which revealed the remainder of the first undercroft and the remains of two further limestone cellars. Architectural features recorded included corbels, niches and steps, as well as the remains of a red-brick arched passageway, which may be related to the ‘Dutch Billy’ houses that once stood on Mary Street. It was found that access to the undercrofts, averaging 6m wide and 20m long, could be gained from Mary Street to the west, with the northern and southern undercroft also having rear access. The central undercroft did not have rear access. Evidence of vaulting was found only in the northern undercroft. A number of architectural fragments were also recovered during testing. Owing to the lack of secure dating evidence, it is difficult to date the structures, but it appears that at least parts may date to the later medieval period. It was agreed with the developers that part of these features will remain exposed as a component of the new structure, with the remainder being reburied and not affected by the building (Collins 2004) (www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 20 December 2019
- LI005-017149: Building, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017149-. Excavations carried out at Sheep Street by Celie O Rahilly under licence no. 00E0423, the results of which were summarised as following; 'This site is located on the eastern side of the King’s Island, Englishtown. Sheep Street, along which the town wall [LI005-017010-] was presumed to run, extends roughly north–south between Meat Market Lane and Gaol Lane and separates two sites. East, and external to the town wall, is Site K.I. 9, a triangular piece of ground, reaching to the Northern Relief Road and defined to the north by Meat Market Lane. West, and inside the town wall, is Site K.I. 10, defined to the north by the yard wall of Mary Street Garda Station, to the west by the eastern boundary of the houses fronting on Mary Street, and to the south by Gaol Lane. In addition to standing remains of the structure known as the Tholsel, located in Gaol Lane, there are ivy-clad walls of a possible late medieval property at the rear of No. 35 Mary Street. Neither of these has been examined in detail to date. Eight cuttings of various lengths were dug with the aim of locating the town wall, determining the nature of archaeological material on both sides of the wall and identifying, if possible, if any structural remains surviving of the houses described in the Civil Survey (Simington 1938). In Cuttings 1, 2 and 7 and the extension of Cutting 2 a wall running for a total distance of 43m along the eastern side of Sheep Street was identified. It followed the changes in direction of the line of the street as depicted on both the 1840 and 1872 OS plans. This wall is presumed to be the town wall. It was located close to the existing ground level, and its external face had been used as a foundation for the 19th-century property boundaries and 20th-century houses fronting the eastern side of Sheep Street. This was in contrast to the area to the south of Gaol Lane, under the Northern Relief Road, where the internal face was used as the foundation, and the rest of the wall was under the houses. The external face of the town wall was exposed to a depth of 2.8m at the southern end of Cutting 2, but elsewhere only the top of the town wall was identified. At the northern end of the site, restrictions of space (due to fencing and underground cables) meant that the wall was not defined, but this should be possible when this area becomes available for investigation. The difference in width at the southern end (1m, compared to 2m in Cutting 2—located more or less central to the site) may be due to this part of the wall being a later addition to the foundation of the wall here, or may be due to the presence of the mural gate, Gaol Lane Gate. Here, a second wall abutted the western face of the first. Given its proximity to the site of the gate at the eastern end of Gaol Lane, it is possible that this second wall may be part of that structure. Within the walled town, Cutting 5 was located at right angles to Sheep Street. Here archaeological layers occurred at 1.8–2.2m deep at the western end and at 0.9m at the eastern end. These consisted of black, organic deposits containing bone and shell. A single sherd of local medieval pottery was recovered from this. The fill of the two other cuttings within the walled town, Cuttings 4 and 8, consisted entirely of loose rubble. In Cutting 4, located on the highest part of the site and in an area where there were no buildings depicted on any of the maps (just east of the lane at the back of the houses on Mary Street), this fill was over 2m deep. Cutting 8 was located on the lowest point of the site in an effort to determine if the demolition rubble, found in Cuttings 4 and 5 (upper levels), was ubiquitous. It was located at right angles to Gaol Lane and crossed the side-wall of the last house on the west side of Sheep Street. On both sides of the wall there was loose rubble fill, which kept collapsing, and so the trench was backfilled. It was not possible to determine whether this was cellar fill or demolition spread. Neither cutting, however, contained any evidence of structural remains that could be interpreted as dating to the mid-1650s. In Cutting 5, the walls as exposed all contained brick. Most of the houses described in the Civil Survey (Simington 1938) were cagework, with one exception, which was stone. This was located ‘east upon the Town Wall’ and to the north of Gaol Lane. Archaeological layers were also identified outside the wall: in Cutting 2, at over 1.9m, and in Cutting 3, at 0.8m. Judging by the pottery, these layers would appear to date to the 17th or 18th century. Similar deposits were defined further east, during the monitoring of the Northern Relief Road, on a site located to the north of Athlunkard Street (Excavations 1999, 169, 99E0135), where this material has been interpreted at the lower level as being a late medieval town dump, subsequently reclaimed as gardens by the late 16th century' (www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 20 December 2019
- LI005-017150: Excavation - miscellaneous, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017150-. Archaeological testing carried out at Broad Street/Charlotte’s Quay (Rear of), by Ken Hanley under licence no. 01E0268, the results of which were summarised as following; 'Testing was carried out in advance of a proposed apartment development at the rear of Broad Street/Charlotte’s Quay. The site incorporated a 2240m2 area (roughly), flanked to the west by an extant portion of the town wall and to the east by White Wine Lane. The majority of the site was occupied by a 1960s tarmacadamed carpark. A small amount of archaeological investigation work carried out at the site in 1981 (Lynch 1984) had revealed a very limited amount of surviving medieval archaeology owing to the large-scale destruction caused by the insertion of the existing carpark. The site was tested (Trenches 1–5) on 31 March and 1 April 2001. As expected, substantial damage had been caused by the insertion of the carpark, but a suspected 18th-century well and part of a late 13th/early 14th-century foundation wall were identified. A limited amount of subsequent excavation and monitoring was carried out on 21 and 22 April 2001. The 12m (east–west) by 4.5m excavation area centred mainly on the limestone foundation wall (C.5), which was located at the northern end of the site at c. 5.31m OD. The wall (interpreted as a medieval garden wall) was c. 6.5m long (east–west) by 0.5–0.85m wide. At either end it consisted of only one course, but deepened to four courses towards the centre. The foundation fill consisted of a dark silty clay (C.10), traces of which were identified within the rubble core of the wall. The foundation cut directly into the natural subsoil. To the immediate north-west of the wall was a small patch or spread of stony dark grey silty clay (C.17) with frequent charcoal flecks. This produced three sherds of green-glazed medieval pottery. The western end of the wall truncated a subcircular pit (C.12), which measured c. 1m by 0.79m (min.) by c. 0.23m deep. The base of the pit was filled with grey silty clay which produced fragments of oyster shell, horns (cattle and goat) and a single sherd of local green and brown glazed pottery. The upper fill consisted of c. 0.12m of dark brown silty clay with small fragments of cattle bone. The only other archaeological feature encountered consisted of a subrectangular pit (C.15), 1.6m by 1.05m by c. 0.54m deep, c. 1m to the north-west of C.12. It was backfilled with a largely homogeneous deposit of mid/dark brown silty clay with frequent charcoal flecks and occasional shell fragments and some goat(?) and cattle horn. The pit did not produce any pottery. An 18th-century well (C.4), located at c. 6.05m OD in Trench 1, was photographed and planned but was not excavated. It was subcircular in plan and was constructed of roughly faced (internally) limestone blocks and smaller stones. Some hand-made red bricks were retrieved from the main body of the well during the initial site investigation. Both the excavated evidence and the cartographic evidence suggest that this area of Irish Town remained relatively undeveloped until well after 1600, and possibly after 1744' (www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 20 December 2019
- LI005-017151: Excavation - miscellaneous, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017151-. Archaeological testing carried out at 8–20 George’s Quay by Tracy Collins, Aegis Archaeology Ltd, under licence no. 02E0024, the results of which were summarised as following; 'This development was subject to an archaeological impact assessment and subsequent testing. Owing to time constraints, the site was tested while the buildings (three) on the site were still standing. Nine trenches were excavated by machine across the entire footprint of the new development. Trenches to the south of the site identified cellar walls of the older, Georgian buildings that once stood on the quay. A trench in the eastern part of the site tentatively identified the remains of the medieval Mill Lane, which would have provided access from the medieval main street (Mary Street) to the banks of the Abbey River but which is no longer in use owing to extant buildings. The trenches in the northern part of the site yielded a black organic layer, lacking finds for accurate dating. It is supposed that this is a medieval layer relating to urban occupation. The identified archaeological layers on the site were below the level of development and so could remain in situ. The piling plan of the structures was slightly adjusted to avoid the Georgian walls so that they too could remain in situ. Before testing, it was thought that the medieval town wall may have traversed this site, but from the results it seems that the wall is farther south, under the present-day quay' (www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 20 December 2019
- LI005-017152: Excavation - miscellaneous, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017152-. Archaeological testing carried out at Sheep Street by Tracy Collins, Aegis Archaeology Ltd, under licence no. 02E1318, the results of which were summarised as following; 'This large plot, which had been vacant for some time, was tested in 2000 by Celie O Rahilly (Excavations 2000, No. 598, 00E0423). The site is bounded to the south by Gaol Lane, to the east by the Limerick Northern Relief Road, to the north by Meat Market Lane and to the west by the rear of properties that face onto Mary Street. The site is bisected by the medieval town wall. The sites of two medieval gates, Gaol Lane Gate to the south and Abbey Gate to the north, are on the line of the site boundary. The purpose of testing was to locate precisely the deposits found in the previous testing. An impact assessment and building inspection were also undertaken. Twelve trenches were dug across the site, most of which yielded archaeological layers, particularly a black organic layer, up to 2m deep and 1.8m thick, in places. Though obviously archaeological in nature, this layer could not be accurately dated because of the lack of diagnostic artefacts. A later feature, tentatively identified as a small, local, clay-pipe kiln, was found in the western part of the site, perhaps originally situated in a larger structure, which included large amounts of unused clay-pipe fragments. Fragments of similar pipes were recovered during the excavations at Charlotte’s Quay. They were identified as being of Irish manufacture, bearing a stamp with a cock in relief and the legend ‘While I Live I’ll Crow’ and dated to the 19th century (Lynch 1984, 313–14, fig. 14:11). The excavator did not find a kiln at that time, however, so these pipes may have been made locally in a kiln such as the one found at Sheep Street. The Charlotte’s Quay examples had a spade motif on the spur of the bowl, which was not evident on the examples found during this testing. A second phase of testing was undertaken on a site immediately adjacent to the above site. This investigated an area to the north of Meat Market Lane and to the rear of properties that front onto Athlunkard Street. Only three trenches were dug, as most of the plot is covered by sheds (recorded as part of the project). One trench did not reveal any archaeological material; one encountered an old road surface; and the third revealed the same black organic layer that had already been found. Again, it did not contain any datable material and rested on natural, estuarine clays' (www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 20 December 2019
- LI005-017153: Excavation - miscellaneous, https://heritagedata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0c9eb9575b544081b0d296436d8f60f8&query=18a4b61b268-layer-9%2CSMRS%2CLI005-017153-. Archaeological testing carried out at 57-8 Mary Street and 1-4 Sir Harry's Mall by Frank Coyne, Aegis Archaeology Ltd, under licence no. 03E1610, the results of which were summarised as following; 'Four test-trenches were excavated at Nos 57 and 58 Mary Street and Nos 1-4 Sir Harry's Mall adjacent to Baal's Bridge [LI005-017001-], in advance of a proposed development. They varied from 18m to 24m in length and were 2m in width. Substantial archaeological remains were uncovered in all trenches. The medieval town wall [LI005-017010-] was identified in Trenches 1, 2 and 4, running in an east-west direction. It measured a maximum of 3m in width and was of limestone rubble construction, with evidence of facing, rubble core and a basal plinth. A substantial stretch of wall, also orientated east-west, was uncovered in Trench 3 and this is interpreted as the remains of a post-medieval quay wall. Trenches 1 and 2 both contained a black humic layer overlying the natural clay, averaging 1m in thickness. This layer represents human occupation build-up. The layer was only present in the areas inside the line of the town wall, suggesting that different activities were being carried out inside and outside the wall. Human skeletal remains were also identified in all four trenches, with articulated remains present in Trenches 1, 2 and 3. Architectural fragments, probably from the nearby abbey [LI005-017115-] (now no longer extant), and a single fragment of green-glazed post-medieval pottery were also recovered' (www.excavations.ie). Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 20 December 2019
- And 29 more.

Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).

## Architectural heritage (National Inventory of Architectural Heritage)

No building of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage stands on this parcel.

## Ground and risks (Radon Risk Map of Ireland, EPA; Landslide Susceptibility Classification and LiDAR, Geological Survey Ireland)

- Radon: the EPA radon map did not answer.
- Landslides: The 1:50,000 map rates the landslide susceptibility here as low. Parts of the land are made ground and water.
- Terrain model: LiDAR of the Office of Public Works, flown in 2011, at 2 m: tile OPW_973, https://gsi.geodata.gov.ie/downloads/LiDAR/OPW_NASC/OPW_973.zip (ZIP).
- Flooding: the flood maps of the Office of Public Works, https://www.floodinfo.ie/map/floodmaps/, linked only: their licence does not allow re-use.

LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

## Neighbouring parcels within 25 m (Tailte Éireann)

- Parcel 3451590: 5,636 m² (0.56 ha, 1.39 acres), https://everytownland.com/parcel/3451590.md

## Downloads

- DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its neighbours and buildings, for a drawing program: https://everytownland.com/parcel/1674477.dxf
- GeoJSON, in WGS 84, for a map: https://everytownland.com/parcel/1674477.geojson
- KML, for Google Earth: https://everytownland.com/parcel/1674477.kml

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Everytownland reads the registered freehold land and the statutory boundaries of Tailte Éireann, the national zoning, planning file and heritage records of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and the Residential Property Price Register. A parcel is the land of a title, not an address. The owner's name is in the Land Registry of Tailte Éireann: a copy of the folio can be ordered on landdirect.ie, for a fee; this site names no owner. A price is the price recorded for a past sale, not a valuation.

Sources: Cadastral Parcels Freehold, Townlands, Civil Parishes, Baronies, Electoral Divisions and Buildings, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0; national zoning of development plans (GZT, MyPlan) and National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0, applicants not shown; designated sites, National Parks and Wildlife Service, CC BY 4.0; Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service, CC BY 4.0; National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, CC BY 4.0; Residential Property Price Register, Property Services Regulatory Authority, re-used with the source acknowledged.

- Page: https://everytownland.com/parcel/1674477
- In JSON: https://everytownland.com/api/parcel/1674477