Evacuation work in the development of a new hotel has triggered the discovery of a portion of a 17th century fort that was once a major defence point for English settlers on Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny, under siege from regional Catholics.
The discovery is likely to lead to a greater archaeological work in the upcoming months and years across the town, that has been proven as a strategically essential settlement.
Construction workers digging on the site of the brand new Avalon House Hotel came across ruins of the fort last month.
Archaeologists were called at once to establish the importance of the remains. Philip Kenny of Kilkenny Archaeology mentioned that it was a complete surprise, commenting on the discovery of the 17th century artillery fort, from about the late 1630s or early 1640s and was created to protect the river crossing in Castlecomer and the town of Castlecomer.
He then added that the town was not long established at that stage.
The ruins were found to be part of a bastion, or strengthened corner point, of the fort, which was likely to have been about 110 metres long.
The main part of the fort is probably buried under buildings in that area of Castlecomer, around The Square, while parts of its ruins may be visible around the town.
Mr. Kenny also asserted that it was designed to hold a whole lot of troops. He also said that one of the bastions of the fort has been found. Looking back over some of the old maps, they figured out the general size of it. The place was besieged in 1641 for three months. It was held by English settlers and a garrison of 300 soldiers, and attacked by the Catholic Confederate Army.
Castlecomer is a very important place because it is on the road between Kilkenny and Dublin, so this fort would have been guarding one of the main river crossings, but Castlecomer was also important because of the iron and coal [from the local mines], he went on to mention.
Much of the old fort was dismantled during subsequent centuries, Mr Kenny said, with the stone used on other sites.
Warren Byrne, manager of the Avalon House Hotel, said it was “just pot luck” that the fort was discovered during digging work.
A survey is likely to be done of the wider area to establish what fort walls are left in Castlecomer, with the findings to be published at a later date.
