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Archaeological Appraisal Proposed Pedestrianisation Works to the Masseytown Mill Race Macroom, Prepared in Support of a Part VIIII Planning Application

Developer: Macroom Municipal District Office Macroom Town Hall, The Square, Macroom, Co. Cork.

Prepared By: Daniel Noonan

Date: 9th June 2021

CONTENTS

CONTENTS ...... ii

1. Introduction ...... 1

2. Context, Setting & Archaeological Environment ...... 3

Archaeological Protections & Designations ...... 3 Development Policies ...... 3 Macroom Town...... 4 Masseytown ...... 5 The Flour Mill CO071-043002- ...... 5 The Mill Race ...... 5

3. Proposed Pedestrianisation Works ...... 7

4. Site Inspection & Works Appraisal...... 7

5. Impact Assessment ...... 11

6. Mitigation Recommendations ...... 11

7. Sources & References Consulted ...... 13

Copyright © 2021 Daniel Noonan Archaeological Consultancy Daniel Noonan Archaeological Consultancy retains the copyright of any commissioned reports or other project documents, under the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000 with all rights reserved; excepting that it hereby provides an exclusive licence to the commissioning client for the use of such documents and material by the commissioning client in all matters directly relating to the project.

All Ordnance Survey of Ireland (OSi) mapping is reproduced under Licence No. AR 0106621 © Ordnance Survey Ireland/Government of Ireland

Archaeological Appraisal| Proposed Pedestrianisation Works to the Masseytown Mill Race, Macroom, Co. Cork ii

1. Introduction

Daniel Noonan Archaeological Consultancy (DNAC) has prepared this Archaeological Appraisal of the proposed pedestrianisation works to the Masseytown mill race, located to the north of Macroom Bridge, on Masseytown Road, Mallow (see Figure 1).

It has been prepared to accompany a Part VIII Planning Application for this, and other works in Macroom, by Cork County Council (Figure 2).

The mill stream was once part a water-powered milling process carried out at the nearby Macroom Flour Mill, a site of Industrial Heritage and an archaeological Recoded Monument – as entered in the Record of Monuments and Places (RMP) for County Cork, reference CO071-047002- (see Figure 3).

Given the mill stream’s original use, and that the feature can be regarded as being within the curtilage of the flour mill, it is prudent to appraise the proposed works for potential archaeological impacts, and recommend any necessary mitigation measures required.

This appraisal should be read in conjunction with the deign proposal prepare by the Architects Department of Cork County Council for the application submission.

Figure 1: Location of the Masseytown Road mill race, outlined in red, overlaid on an annotated screengrab of the National Monuments Service’s Historic Environment Viewer.

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Figure 2: General layout of proposed works to the mill race. Courtesy of the Architects Department, Cork County Council.

Figure 3: Location of the Masseytown Road mill race outlined in the red rectangle, with the flour mill CO071-047002- in red to the north. Image is an annotated extract from the Record of Monuments and Places for County Cork, 1997, Sheet 071.

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2. Context, Setting & Archaeological Environment

Archaeological Protections & Designations

The proposed works are to a feature that is of archaeological interest, given its origin as part of the water-powered infrastructure of the flour mill CO071-047002-, a Recorded Monument.

The creation of the Record of Monuments and Places forms part of Section 12 of the National Monuments Act, as amended in 1994; and inclusion in it is the primary mechanism for protection of archaeological sites and monument in the State. Any works to, or close by (i.e. within the ZAP), a site or monument entered in the RMP requires notification to the National Monuments Service (NMS) at least two months in advance.

Guidance on current State policy for archaeology can be found in the Frameworks and Principles for the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage (1999) document.

Development Policies

Cork County Council’s development policies’ regarding archaeological heritage are contained in the current overarching Cork County Development Plan 2014. The policies regarding archaeology relevant to the Masseytown project are:

HE 3-1: Protection of Archaeological Sites

a) Safeguard sites and settings, features and objects of archaeological interest generally.

b) Secure the preservation (i.e. preservation in situ or in exceptional cases preservation by record) of all archaeological monuments including the Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) (see www.archeology.ie) and the Record or Monuments and Places as established under Section 12 of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act, 1994, as amended and of sites, features and objects of archaeological and historical interest generally.

In securing such preservation, the planning authority will have regard to the advice and recommendations of the Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht as outlined in the Frameworks and Principles for the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage.

HE 3-3: Zones of Archaeological Potential

Protect the Zones of Archaeological Potential (ZAPs) located within historic towns and other urban areas and around archaeological monuments generally. Any development within the ZAPs will need to take cognisance of the potential for subsurface archaeology and if archaeology is demonstrated to be present appropriate mitigation (such as preservation in situ/buffer zones) will be required.

HE 3-4 Industrial and Post Medieval Archaeology

Protect and preserve the archaeological value of industrial and post medieval archaeology such as mills, limekilns, bridges, piers, harbours, penal chapels and dwellings. Proposals for refurbishment, works to or redevelopment/conversion of these sites should be subject to careful assessment.

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Macroom Town

The market town of Macroom encompasses the townlands, or parts of, Sleveen East, Lackaduff, Gurteenroe, Killnagurteen (formerly called Mountmassy) and Maghereen; all in the civil parish of Macroom, in the Cork barony of West . The historic town straddles the Sullane River, having developed at an earlier fording point in the river that is today marked by the late 18th Century arched stone road bridge that crosses between Sleveen East to Gurteenroe.

The Urban Archaeological Survey for County Cork (Zadjac etal. 1995) describes Macroom as follows:

A settlement may have existed in Macroom during the 13th century when a castle was built here adjacent to a fording point on the Sullane river. Until the mid-19th century the town was the joint property of the Earl of Bandon and Robert Hedges Eyre. It became the sole property of the latter who was responsible for several improvements in the town including the rebuilding of the present market house and alterations to the castle transforming it into a modern mansion. Among the industries established in Macroom in the 18th century were a distillery and a woollen mill. Rock salt was also brought from England via Cork and distributed from the town for use in salting butter for export. In the 19th century flour mills and tanyards were established.

The place name origin of Macroom appear to come from the Irish Maigh Chromtha, which can be translated as the ‘Crooked Ford’; a topographical reference to a feature in the Sullane River where the crossing ford was located (see https://www.logainm.ie/11513.aspx).

The core of the historic town is to the east of the bridge, in Sleveen East townland, and the principal street – Main Street terminates with a market square to the west before the road continues westward through Castle Street and onto the bridge. There may have been settlement here from the 13th Century onwards, when a castle was first built on the site of present-day around 1260 AD. The castle is varyingly attributed to either the Anglo-Norman De Cogan family by James N. Healy (Castles of County Cork 1988, 60-61), or to the Carew family by Samuel Lewis (Topographical Dictionary 1837).

The castle and the area around Macroom came into the possession of the Gaelic Irish McCarthy clan (the MacCarthy’s of Muskerry) in the 14th Century; when the Anglo-Norman colony faltered due to internecine fighting, the Bruce invasion (1315-1318) and a corresponding famine, and the arrival of the Black Death (1348-1350). Macroom remained under the influence of the McCarthy’s into the late 17th Century when their support for the unsuccessful Jacobite cause in the Williamite-Jacobite War of 1688-1691 led to the surrender of the majority of their lands. Macroom came into the possession of the Hedges-Eyre family in the early 18th Century, and they took up residence in the castle and set about improving the town.

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Masseytown

To the west of the bridge is the largely early modern suburb of Masseytown. In the past the suburb may have been the site of ephemeral occupation on the western side of the river crossing; however, there is no known physical evidence for settlement here earlier than the 18th Century. The Masseytown name comes from the landed estate of Mount Massy House, built by the Hutchinson family in the mid-18th Century, which is located 1.1km northwest of the bridge. Corn and flour mills developed from the late 18th and into the 19th Century north of the bridge under the patronage of the Walton family. Macroom Courthouse was purpose built in Masseytown to a design by George Pain, along with the associated bridewell circa. 1826; and the police barracks was erected in 1850. The Macroom workhouse was also located in Masseytown, and dates from circa. 1843.

The Flour Mill CO071-043002-

The flour mill CO071-043002- that the mill race serviced was one of those built by the Walton Family in Masseytown. The following is the record entry for the mill in the Archaeological Inventory of County Cork Volume 3 Mid-Cork (Power etal. 1997):

Roadside in Massytown, Macroom. According to owner oat mill built in 1832 onto earlier carding, mill by Walton family who came from nearby flour mill (CO071- 047001-). Rectangular carding mill (19.1m N-S; 12.2m E-W) used now as corn store. Oat mill built onto W side of carding mill, indicated on 1842 OS 6-inch map as 'Flour Mill', with mill race flowing along N wall and through middle of carding mill. By 1904 OS 6-inch map mill race realigned to present layout: approaches from Sullane River c. 1.5km to SW (recently damaged by road works); fills mill pond immediately to N of mill; head race runs into mill at W end of N wall to fill internal wheel-pit housing Craig Francis Turbine brought from Crossmaglen in 1956. Mill burnt in early 1920s and refitted with present mill machinery. Two pairs of millstones, for shelling and grinding, rest on low iron table over cogged gearing which is powered by belt and pulley system from turbine, now mainly driven by electricity due to lack of water. Enclosed 1930s flour mill in NW corner used only during World War II. Upper stories contain cleaning machinery. Grain transferred through mill via elevators. Still in use as oat mill.

The Mill Race

Historically, the mill race to the flour mill started approximately 1km to the west of the area to be pedestrianised; at a weir across the Sullane River. At the weir, via sluice gates, the water was diverted onto a meandering new watercourse north of the riverbank, to a point west of the bridge, where it is assumed it was culverted under, and emerged again on the northside on Masseytown Road, as an open channel on the west side of the road. The race is culverted again under the road near to Masseytown House, and remerges to approach the flour mill and the mill pond to the north of it (see Figures 4-5). The mill race is at least contemporary with the building of the flour mill in 1832, and possibly earlier and associated with the carding mill that at its earliest was late 18th Century in origin.

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Figure 4: Annotated screengrab of the Historic Environment Viewer, depicting the 1903/05 1:2,500 mapping for Mallow, with the route of the mill race from the sluice gate on the weir on the Sullane on the west, the route to the bridge, the outlined subject area on Masseytown Road, and the flour mill and mill pond that it serves.

Figure 5: Extract from the historic Ordnance Survey 1:1,056 Town Plan of Macroom, 1938 edition, not to scale. The route of the mill race south of the bridge, north along Masseytown Road and into the mill complex is shaded light blue.

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3. Proposed Pedestrianisation Works

The works proposed for the mill race at Masseytown Road are part of a larger works package for this part of Mallow Town, aimed at improving presentation and amenity. At Masseytown Road the aim of the works to the mill race are to (see Figure 2):

• Reactivate the mill race and resolve the issue of littering and fly tipping;

• Retain the mill race and highlight it as a project of heritage benefit;

• Create a public amenity utilising existing heritage and showcasing same by:

o Clearing all existing vegetations within the race,

o Creating a linear walkway within the confines of the millrace,

o Create an opening in the stone wall at street level at the south and north entry points as indicated in the drawings.

• Remove the floating northern 15m section of the mill race (formed by the later, narrow concrete footbridge) to create a shared pedestrian space by way of raised traffic table.

4. Site Inspection & Works Appraisal

The mill race visible on the surface at Masseytown Road is approximately 155m long north to south, from the junction of Barrack Lane, New Street, and the Bridge, as far as the entrance to Masseytown House. The feature is on average 3.2m wide east to west, and the humic covered base varies from 0.7 to 0.8m below the footpath level.

The mill race, heavily overgrown with laurel trees, is walled to both sides. The western side is of randomly coursed, generally flat, sandstone field stones, and where visible beneath the heavy vegetation is in varying condition, with the probable lime mortar bonding washing out due to vegetation growth and weathering. This wall acts a form of retention to the higher ground of Barrack Lane to the west. The southern portion of the wall at the junction to the south has been rebuilt in recent times.

The eastern wall, following the line of the mill race, is lower, at an average of 0.8m in height along its length, and is built of randomly course sandstone, with lime mortar bonding, and capped with a 0.25m high by 0.38m wide concrete band, which is chamfered on the inside. This wall is in good condition, and is probably original, as a protection from the open channel of the mill race. The later concrete capping may have replaced a vertical soldier course.

Approximately 125m from the bridge junction the eastern wall of the mill race is broken by a doorcase feature. This door, now infilled, gave access to a pedestrian footbridge over the mill race, to the grounds of Sunnyside House (now the Inland Fisheries offices). The predominantly brick-built feature has a visible threshold to the bottom and a stepped decorative cornice to the top. This 19th Century wire-cut brick has weathered in places, exposing its perforations. The doorcase is closed for some time, as the old rough concrete

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render that covers the entrance is falling away. Behind the doorcase a single metal beam, possibly a piece of rail track, runs from the feature to the retaining wall to the west, and may be the remains of the footpath over the mill race.

Some 15m from the northern end of the mill race, where the walls become upstanding all- round, a more recent, rubblestone built, concrete bonded footbridge crosses the feature.

This area is marked by an existing pedestrian crossing over the mill race; which from the historic Ordnance Survey mapping sources was built sometime in the second half of the 19th Century. The bed of the bridge is not visible, and a modern concrete surface obscure it. The side walls are of rubble stone, and have been repointed in concrete, and round-capped.

The works proposals for the mill race are to remove the vegetation, consolidate the retaining and boundary walls as required, clear out the humus and debris from the channel, create ramped/graded assess and egress; and infill the channel and remove the upstanding walls for the northern 15m of the feature. The removal of the northern 15m feature is the only impact of note on the mill race, and while regrettable when viewed in balance with the reactivation of the overall feature, is an acceptable loss.

Photograph 1: View of the walled mill race on Masseytown Road, from the southeast, at the bridge junction.

Photograph 2: View of the walled mill race on Masseytown Road, from the north. Note the 15m section of mill race to be removed in the middle ground.

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Photograph 3: View from the grounds of Sunnyside House/Inland Fisheries, showing the height difference from west to east; and the level of overgrowth.

Photograph 4: View of typical fabric of eastern, footpath side wall.

Photograph 5: View of the doorcase marking the location of the pedestrian bridge over the mill race to Sunnyside House.

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Photograph 6: View of the rear of the doorcase, showing the metal railing behind.

Photograph 7: View of the 15m section of the mill race for removal. Note the existing pedestrian crossing.

Photograph 8: View of the typical level of overgrowth, from the existing pedestrian crossing looking south.

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5. Impact Assessment

In its current condition, the mill race is overgrown with vegetation, and can be viewed as almost anonymous in the streetscape, as a low wall alongside a footpath. Any works to control the overgrowth would be of benefit to the feature. The proposal to bring the mill race back into active public awareness and utility is a positive step; and the reversible in-filling of 15m of the mill race and loss the wall fabric at the northern extent is acceptable when balanced against the overall gain potential of a well-executed scheme of works.

The condition of the inner retaining wall of the mill race, between it and the elevated ground to the west, in unknown, but it is likely that removal of vegetation and cleaning will reveal the need for re-pointing and possible localised rebuilding. Should this be the case, careful conservation of the wall, by experienced practitioners with appropriate materials, is required; to ensure best conservation practice.

The vegetation clearance of the mill race particularly works to the base of the feature, if unmitigated, have potential to have a negative impact. If the material in the base of the mill race has built-up over the years, there is potential for historically important artefacts to be present amongst the undoubted large amount of modern debris and detritus that has accumulated from casual littering. Also, mechanical clearance, if unmitigated, may physically impact on the feature, when this is not the intention. There is also potential for unseen architectural or engineering features (such as more remains of the footbridge behind the blocked doorcase), hidden by the humic build-up, to be uncovered; these warrant recording.

6. Mitigation Recommendations1

It is recommended that the proposed works to the mill race feature on Masseytown Road proceed as proposed; with the following mitigation recommendations.

The works should be carried out with the assistance of an experienced archaeologist, familiar with such features and their function within an Industrial Archaeology context. The archaeologist will advise on the levels of archaeological oversight required, in consultation with Cork County Council’s Archaeologist and inputs from the National Monuments Service.

With the successful grant of Part VIII Planning, a Section 12 Notification of the works should be made to the National Monuments Service.

1 Note on Recommendations

All mitigation measures are recommendations only and the decision on implementation, amendments, etc. rests ultimately with the Planning Authority – Cork County Council, and other prescribed bodies such as the Development Applications Unit of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

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Vegetation clearance should be carried out under archaeological monitoring conditions; the levels of monitoring of which can be determined in consultation with Cork County Council’s Archaeologist and inputs from the National Monuments Service.

The appropriate recovery of historic artefacts, to be filtered from the general detritus, should be carried out.

A photographic, and where appropriate a surveyed and drawn record, of the mill race should be created once the vegetation is cleared, in advance of wall consolidation and other construction works.

Conservation best practice with regard to repairing and consolidating the walls of mill race, must be adhered to; through the use of experienced practitioners with appropriate materials, and guided by an experienced conservation specialist.

The successful execution of the proposed works are an opportunity to commemorate the original function and use of the mill race, in the context of the various historic mills in this part of Macroom, with appropriate heritage signage.

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7. Sources & References Consulted

• Record of Monuments & Places for County Cork 1997;

• Post-Medieval Survey Records County Cork 1982-1996;

• National Monuments Service (NMS) Historic Environment Viewer - www.archaeology.ie;

• Excavations Database - www.excavations.ie;

• Framework and Principles for the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage. Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands 1999;

• Code of Conduct for Archaeological Assessment. Institute of Archaeologist of Ireland 2006.

• Guidelines on The Information to Be Contained in Environmental Impact Assessment Reports Draft. Environmental Protection Agency, 2017;

• Ordnance Survey & Other Historic Mapping – Geohive - https://geohive.ie/index.html;

• Cork County Development Plan 2014 http://corkcocoplans.ie/cobh/.

Healy, James, N. 1988 The Castles of County Cork. The Mercier Press, Cork.

Lewis, S. 1837 Topographical Dictionary of Ireland. Samuel Lewis & Co. Guildford.

Power, D. etal. 1997 Archaeological Inventory of County Cork Volume 3: Mid Cork. Archaeological Survey of Ireland, Dublin.

Smith, C. 1750 The Ancient and Present State of the County and City of Cork. 2 Volumes. John Connor, Cork.

Zadjac, S. etal. 1995 The Urban Archaeological Survey of County Cork. Unpublish report for the Office of Public Works, Dublin.

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