2003:1726 - CASHEL: Lower Gate and Main Street, Tipperary

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Tipperary Site name: CASHEL: Lower Gate and Main Street

Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 61:25 Licence number: 03E01447

Author: Mary Henry, Mary Henry Archaeological Services Ltd.

Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous

Period/Dating: Undetermined

ITM: E 607549m, N 640580m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.516549, -7.888769

Monitoring of electricity-duct laying was undertaken in the centre of the town of Cashel. Works were concentrated on Main Street and Lower Gate, within the zone of archaeological potential for the town and in the heart of the medieval town. Trenching was 0.45m wide; depths were between 0.5 and 0.7m.

No medieval archaeology was encountered. The remains of a wall foundation with a bonding which suggested a post-medieval/modern date of construction was found in two separate locations. Also a black silty sand deposit was uncovered with some charcoal flecking. No datable evidence was found from this deposit.

Road construction (national primary route N8) would have destroyed any archaeological deposits. In some locations, the road build-up extended far below the formation level for the ducting. At other locations along the route, natural depositions were exposed beneath the road build-up material. It is likely that previous roadworks would have destroyed earlier street surfaces associated with medieval and post-medieval Cashel.

17 Staunton Row, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary