CORK, IRELAND—Subsidence in the aisle at St. Mary’s Collegiate Church in Youghal, a prosperous medieval port town, has led to the discovery of three burial vaults dating to the seventeenth century. The church, which was built in 1250, is the oldest continuously used church in Ireland. “We have unearthed some pottery and coins from the seventeenth century and a fabulous underground central heating system which was modelled on the Roman aqua duct system. It dates to the eighteenth century and boiling water was poured in to provide the heating,” archaeologist Caroline Desmond told The Irish Examiner. Desmond and her team will stabilize the area where they have been working and continue the investigation next year because the church’s annals indicate that another five tombs remain to be found under the aisle. “We will undoubtedly find more archaeology there. The roof of the church is still the original and it was built by French carpenters. That also goes to show that Youghal was a very prosperous town at the time as the merchants were able to pay to bring in skilled labor from abroad,” she explained.
