2023:837 - Churchtown/Maytown, Water Rehabilitation Scheme, Townparks, Commons East, Lickane, Ballyroe, Ballycottin, Cork

Archaeological monitoring was undertaken as part of works associated with a water rehabilitations scheme extending between the villages of Cloyne and Ballycottin, Co. Cork. The route of the works passed through the Zone of Notification (ZON) of CO088-019001 (Cloyne historic town), close to CO088-019006 (cathedral), CO088-019005 (graveyard), CO088-019004 (round tower), CO088-019014 (castle-tower house), CO088-019012 (cross-market cross) and CO088-019007 (warehouse) within the town. South of the town the route of the works also passes through the ZON of CO088-021 (burial ground), CO089-026 (ringfort-rath) and CO089-039 (ringfort-rath). Monitoring was proposed for the townlands of Townparks, Commons East, Ballyroe and Ballycottin, Co. Cork.

The pipe laying was carried out within the existing road network. The pipe trench typically measured 0.7-1.2m wide and reached a depth of 1.1-1.2m. In the event, monitoring took place in two parts of the proposed portions of the scheme: at the north end of the scheme within Cloyne village, and in the townland of Lickane, close to Ballyroe. At the eastern end of the scheme it was not possible to lay the new pipe in private property and the old pipe was not replaced here, therefore no monitoring was required. Where the pipe was laid close to burial ground CO088-021, rather than excavating open-cut trenches the new pipe was inserted into the existing pipe to avoid ground disturbance and no monitoring was required.

Monitoring of pipe laying was undertaken in Lickane, immediately north of Ballyroe and adjacent to monument CO089-024 (Ringfort-rath). Nothing of archaeological significance was revealed; in this section of pipe laying the modern road was found to have been placed directly onto the natural limestone bedrock.

The excavation of open-cut trenching on Church Street in the centre of Cloyne village exposed a number of archaeological features. These features were identified in the trench sections and consisted of three or four probable ditches and a spread of archaeological material. The pipe trench here was typically 1.2m deep and the full depths of the ditches were not exposed, however they all appeared to be relatively substantial features.

Ditch 1 identified at the northern end of Church Street was aligned roughly east to west across the trench and showed heavy disturbance by modern services. The visible dimensions within the trench were 3.8m wide and 0.7m deep (not bottomed). Animal bone and slag were recovered from the ditch. A spread (52) was located 5m south of Ditch 1, measuring 13.6m long and up to 0.8m thick. Glass, brick, slag, bone and shell were recovered from the deposit.

In the trench immediately north-east of the round tower (CO088-019004), two further ditches were observed in the trench section. The northernmost of the two features (Ditch 3) was heavily disturbed by previous pipe laying, it was however visible as being 5.8m wide with a depth of 0.95m+ (not bottomed). Ceramic tile, animal bone and a number of copper alloy items were recovered from the ditch. A radiocarbon determination on a sheep/goat tibia from deposit 60 in Ditch 3, returned a date of cal. AD 1455–1631 (UBA-54166, 370BP±22). This date is from an upper fill (lower fills were not exposed) and relates to backfilling of the ditch.

Ditch or Pit 2 immediately to the south was only partially exposed as trench excavation was halted at this stage. No full length, width or depth could be ascertained for this reason, however the visible portion was at least 0.6m wide and over 1.08m deep. The basal fill of the feature comprised 85% sub-angular stone rubble averaging 100mm in length. Occasional charcoal, animal bone and slag were also recovered from this basal fill. A radiocarbon determination on a cattle 1^st phalanx bone from deposit 57 in possible Ditch 2, returned a date of cal. AD 1683–1938 (UBA-54165, 122BP±23). As with Ditch 3, the dated material is from an upper fill as the lower fills were not exposed in the pipe trench.

For the length of pipe in the centre of the village, adjacent to the grounds of St Colman’s Cathedral, the new pipe was inserted into the existing pipe to avoid any further disturbance of archaeological material. Further south in Church Street, south of the cathedral, open-cut trenching was again undertaken and Ditch 4 was identified. The ditch was 5.8m wide and 0.85m+ deep (not bottomed). Animal bone and slag were again recovered from this ditch.

Three of the features (1, 3 and 4) are likely to represent early medieval or medieval enclosure ditches, associated with the early medieval monastic settlement or the later phases of ecclesiastical use such as St Colman’s Cathedral (CO088-019006). The function of the other feature, found close to the round tower in the village (CO088-019004), is less clear and it could represent another ditch, a large pit or a quarry for limestone. The fills of the recorded features are consistent with deliberate backfilling and some of the material in Ditch 3 and possible Ditch 2 could include rubble from the demolition of a building. Finds and inclusions within other deposits suggest domestic waste. Together, this would imply a period or several periods of renewal at Cloyne, with older buildings being demolished and used to backfill enclosure ditches or quarries open at the time when the site was remodelled.

It is possible, looking at historical cartographic sources and examining satellite imagery, to propose extrapolations of the line of the early medieval ecclesiastical enclosure(s) that would originally have surrounded the site of St Colman’s early foundation, established in the 6^th century. The cathedral boundary has a curved south-eastern corner on the 1^st Edition OS and it is likely that the southern part of the cathedral precinct reflects the line of the original inner enclosure. If the round tower was inside this inner enclosure it must be assumed that the boundary crossed the (modern) road and it is possible that this is what was seen as Ditch 4 in the pipe trench, in line with the southern graveyard boundary. The northern edge of the inner enclosure is less well preserved in the later street layout but, if it is north of the tower, it could potentially be what was seen in the pipe trench as Ditch 3. The monastic enclosure may have had several circuits of ditches, representing different degrees of sanctity and associated activities. It is possible that Ditch 1, further to the north, delineates one of the other circuits of enclosure of the ecclesiastical site.