Priceless medieval artefacts discovered in County Kilkenny - see pics!

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Hundred of years ago Thomastown was a busy, medieval port town. Merchants used the River Nore to bring all kinds of goods inland, and then on to the medieval capital of Kilkenny.

Thanks to recent archaeological discoveries in the town it’s easier to imagine what life in the town was like, hundred of years ago - what people ate, the kind of jugs that poured their wine, and what their homes looked like.

Over a few months in 2021, run-of-the-mill works to improve the ‘public realm,’ put electrical ducting underground and water pipe works, has unearthed some exceptional evidence of daily life in Thomastown from the 13th to 19th Century.

Locals might have wondered why the roadworks along Logan and Low Streets were taking a bit longer

Artefacts recovered during the works include medieval pottery, clay pipe fragments, and animal bones
than they expected. It’s because an infrastructure project of this size comes with archaeological supervision, and discoveries that have been made so far range from the solid, stone foundations of medieval buildings, to beautiful and fragile sherds of medieval pottery.

Remains from a wall of a post medieval building (circa 16th Century) were identified one metre below the road level, and preserved in situ, outside the Framewell Shop on Logan Street.

An early modern stone well was identified under the concrete and tarmac outside Thomastown Courthouse. This well was likely contemporary with the courthouse and when this project is finished it is planned to mark the location of this well in the paving.

It’s a nice twist of fate that work to modernise the town has opened a window on the town’s past.
Last September Kilkenny County Council began a project under the Town and Village Renewal scheme along Logan and Low Streets to underground services including ESB and Eir cables, widen footpaths, install new kerbing, a pedestrian crossing and resurface roads with improved road markings.
That work meant digging, and digging in a town as historic as Thomastown meant an archaeologist had to be on hand at all times.
Regulations are set out under planning laws and the National Monuments Act.