[Image credit: Cllr Joe Newman facebook]
A stone lined well, built during medieval times in Swords, has been found during the construction of the new Cultural Quarter.
Archaeologists working for Fingal County Council are currently preparing a report on the discovery.
Consultants working on the building of the Swords Cultural Quarter have been asked to determine whether they can overlay the foundations of the new building and preserve the site in situ.
If that is not possible the council can remove the structure stone-by-stone and have it preserved and possibly reconstructed off-site. This technique has been used following similar discoveries.
The new cultural complex is currently under construction at the corner of North St and Seatown Rd in Swords.
It will contain a 200-seater theatre which will be ‘black box’ style which means there is no permanent stage and can be rearranged based on the needs of the production.
Above the theatre there will be rehearsal space and meetings rooms for groups using it.
It will also contain an extensive library over three stories, including a children’s floor as well as a dedicated study area.
The ground floor will have a coffee shop by the entrance and a ‘maker space’, which is an area where you can build and repair items as well as create, there will also be a gallery which wraps around to the north side of the courthouse and will be visible from the road.
Cllr Ian Carey said:
“This is a very interesting discovery and it points to the wealth of historical sites in the general Swords area. Some people have suggested it could be brought into the new building as a feature visible through a glass floor. It will be interesting to see if the consultants can find a way of incorporating it. If not I think it might be an idea to find a new location for it so that it can be used to demonstrate how people lived in medieval times in Ireland.”
