What is recorded here

Excavation for a new water main in Naas in 1997 uncovered two humpbacked stone culverts beneath North Main Street. They directed a westward stream from higher ground near St David's Castle, later replaced by larger underground culverts built around 1900. The older stones mark a time when the town still followed the visible path of water rather than hiding it beneath streets.

In 1997, archaeological monitoring (Licence no. 97E0151: www.excavations.ie) of the mechanical excavation of pipe trench cuttings to accommodate a new 1.5m water main and the laying of gas pipes in Main Street (north and south) and adjoining streets in Naas was carried out. A stretch of trench was opened on the eastern side of North Main Street and extending southwards from its junction with John's Lane. At the northern end of the trench, which was 7m west of the present line of buildings, the remains of two humpbacked stone features were found, consisting of a double stone culvert. Some bricks had been used in the construction of the most northerly example; otherwise there was no dating evidence for the construction. A stream flowing westwards from higher ground east of St David's Castle and running under the most northerly building in North Main Street adjacent to St John's Lane would have given rise to the construction of this particular culvert. It was later rendered obsolete by the construction of large culverts, built c. 1900, to carry the waters westwards underground across North Main Street to Mill Lane off the Sallins Road. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 10 June 2011

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