Limerick City Walls Conservation & Management Plan By T. Collins, N. Darmody, B. O’Mahony, L. G. Lynch, & F. Coyne ÆGIS Archaeology Limited & D. Humphreys Architectural Conservation Professionals With contributions from R. Minogue Minogue & Associates Report Prepared for: Limerick City Council and The Heritage Council May 2008 Conservation & Management Plan for Limerick City Walls Walled towns are unique inheritances from times long passed and should be treasured, maintained and safe- guarded from neglect and destruction and passed on to perpetuity as irreplaceable “Timestones of History” (Parin Declaration 2003 cited in IWTN 2005) ÆGIS ARCHAEOLOGY LIMITED REF.: 51-6 2 Conservation & Management Plan for Limerick City Walls Contents I. Executive Summary 6 II. Acknowledgements 8 III. List of Figures and Plates 9 IV. Glossary of Terms Used 13 1. Introduction 15 1.1 Background and Purpose 15 1.2 The Project Brief 15 1.3 Methodology 17 1.3.1 Archaeology 17 1.3.2 Conservation and Management 17 1.3.3 Ecology 17 1.3.4 Consultation 17 1.4 Sources Review 18 1.5 Ownership and Responsibility 18 1.6 Integrity and Overview of Limerick City Walls 20 2. Limerick City Walls “in context” 25 2.1 Topography and Setting 25 2.2 Urban Defences 25 2.3 Literature Review 28 2.4 Cartographic Review 30 2.5 Archaeological Investigations Summary 45 2.6 Historical Timeline, “Biography of the Monument” 45 2.7 Development of the Monument 49 2.7.1 Key Phases 49 2.8 Significance of Limerick City Walls 52 2.8.1 Methodology of Assessment 52 2.8.2 Definitions of “Value” and “Significance” 52 2.8.3 Assessment of Significance 53 2.8.4 Rating of Limerick City Walls 54 3. The Record 55 3.1 Englishtown 56 3.1.1 Verdant Place Stretch 57 3.1.2 Island Gate Stretch 71 3.1.3 St Saviour’s Stretch 72 3.1.4 Island Road (Northern Relief Road) Stretch 80 3.1.5 St Peter’s Cell Stretch 81 3.1.6 Exchange Lane Stretch 91 3.1.7 Bishop St/Sheep St Section Stretch 95 3.1.8 Sir Harry’s Mall/Absolute Hotel Stretch 100 ÆGIS ARCHAEOLOGY LIMITED REF.: 51-6 3 Conservation & Management Plan for Limerick City Walls 3.1.9 George’s Quay/Baal’s Bridge Stretch 101 3.1.10 Potato Market Stretch 103 3.1.11 City Hall/Courthouse Stretch 105 3.1.12 The Castle Stretch 107 3.2 Irishtown 108 3.2.1 Charlotte/Lock Quay Stretch 109 3.2.2 Old Clare St Stretch 110 3.2.3 Irishtown Linear Park/Lelia St Stretch 114 3.2.4 The Gables/St John’s Hospital Stretch 130 3.2.5 St John’s Hospital/The Citadel Stretch 138 3.2.6 Brennan’s Row Stretch 149 3.2.7 Summer St Stretch 149 3.2.8 Little Gerald Griffin St Stretch 150 3.2.9 The Milk Market/Carr St Stretch 158 3.2.10 Watergate Flats Stretch 159 3.2.11 Charlotte’s Quay Car Park Stretch 166 3.2.12 West Watergate Stretch 173 3.3 Summary & Synthesis 175 4. Conservation Plan 177 4.1 Conservation Policies 179 4.1.1 Inspection and Maintenance 181 4.1.2 Protection 182 4.1.3 Information Set and Research 182 4.1.4 Environment and Wider Landscape 183 4.1.5 Ownership Co-operation, Community Involvement and LCW Management 183 4.1.6 Access and Education 184 5. Management Plan 185 5.1 Current Understanding 185 5.1.1 Public Consultation 185 5.2 Implementation 185 5.3 Management Plan Actions 187 5.3.1 Assumption of Responsibility 187 5.3.2 Formal Protection and Adoption 187 5.3.3 Implementation of Conservation and Repair Works 188 5.3.4 Implementation of Effective Maintenance Programme 189 5.3.5 Future Enhancement and Improvement of Heritage Values 189 5.3.6 Future Enhancement of Information Set, Research and Education 190 5.4 Future Presentation 191 5.4.1 A Vision 191 5.4.2 Irish Walled Towns Network 191 5.4.3 Funding Opportunities 191 6. Conclusions 193 ÆGIS ARCHAEOLOGY LIMITED REF.: 51-6 4 Conservation & Management Plan for Limerick City Walls 7. Appendices 197 7.1 References Used in Text 198 7.2 Consultees 201 7.3 Indicative Conservation Works and Costings 202 7.4 Ecological Report by R. Minogue of Ruth Minogue and Associates 205 7.5 Forms Used for Field Recording 209 7.6 Public Meeting Report by R. Minogue of Ruth Minogue & Associates 212 8. Closing Statement and Signing-Off 221 ÆGIS ARCHAEOLOGY LIMITED REF.: 51-6 5 Conservation & Management Plan for Limerick City Walls I. Executive Summary Walled towns are an important feature of the medieval Irish past and have helped to mould the country’s present landscape patterns. There are fifty-six walled towns in Ireland, all with walls in varying states of preservation, with a further thirty-five towns with some evidence of enclosure. As such, walled towns have been part of Irish urban history from its inception and have influenced the country’s society for hundreds of years, up to and including the present day. The important historical monument known as the “Limerick City Walls” has played and remains to play an intrinsic role in the everyday life of Limerick City and its hinterland. The town wall, towers, gates, defences, and other features collectively have become known as the “Limerick City Walls”. This monument (which it should be seen as) is both an important recorded archaeological monument (an element of RMP LI005-017---) and a Protected Structure (RPS various numbers in City Development Plan). As such, the monument Limerick City Walls has legal protection under the National Monuments Acts 1930-2004 and the Planning and Development Acts. The Heritage Act (1995), and The Heritage Council is now furthering this protection and public knowledge of walled towns through the Irish Walled Towns Network (IWTN). At present, while the Limerick City Walls are well known of locally, a sense of the entire element’s monumentality might be considered to be generally lacking, locally, nationally and internationally. There are in fact, thirteen extant stretches of the City Wall of Limerick, all in varying degrees of preservation. As well as these thirteen stretches, the entire circuit of the City Wall is known, many portions of which can be today noted in the street pattern of the modern City. Further portions of the City Wall are known to exist below ground level, through the numerous archaeological investigations that have taken place, over the past twenty-five years or so. Much of the information on the City Walls to date has been fragmentary, with little attempt to consolidate or use it effectively in the conservation of the monument. Limerick City Walls are represented by a variety of remains; portions of extant walls, King John’s Castle (which forms part of the circuit though does not form part of this study), other features such as gates and towers, underground/subsurface portions (which may or may not be partially visible), portions built into later structures, stretches now only represented by photos or early drawings, earthen fosses (or ditches) which have filled over time, or have only been revealed through archaeological investigation and those other parts which only remain as a line on a plan. There are also later manifestations of the defences of the walled city, dating to the seventeenth century, commonly known as the “the siege” period, little of which is now evident above the ground, but for which there is much documentary and cartographic evidence. This is an important phase in the “biography” of the city walls and defences. ÆGIS ARCHAEOLOGY LIMITED REF.: 51-6 6 Conservation & Management Plan for Limerick City Walls Due to these different representations of the monument Limerick City Walls, on the ground today, which was once a single entity (and was expanded to enclose a growing medieval English town), it is very important to restore its integrity by reconnecting the various parts into a coherent whole (this connection could be “symbolic” or “intellectual” rather than actual in a number of locations). This is certainly not to say that the wall should be reconstructed in its entirety, as this is not the purpose of a Conservation and Management Plan and would be in fact be an exercise in pastiche and modern fabrication. Rather, this Conservation and Management Plan Proposal will show how all the manifestations of Limerick City Walls can be re-incorporated in order to provide a total image or “brand” for the monument, in order to be a future source of both Civic and National Pride. With the affiliation of Limerick City to the Irish Walled Towns of Ireland Network (IWTN) and the undertaking of this Conservation and Management Plan, positive efforts are now being made to address the lack of effectiveness in the continued protection of Limerick City Walls. It is correct and timely therefore that a Conservation and Management Plan be developed to retain, conserve, and improve the fabric and integrity of the monument Limerick City Walls as an excellent example of an Irish walled town in association with all interested parties; Limerick City Council, The Heritage Council, locals of Limerick and the landowners, in whose property portions of the monument rests. Not only are Limerick City Walls a substantial archaeological monument, rich in archaeological and historical information, stretches of the wall are also Protected Structures. The City Walls has moulded Limerick’s development since its origins and has thus become a symbol for the city itself and if managed correctly might become a popular “brand” for Limerick on a number of levels.