County: Tipperary Site name: CASHEL: 44-46 Main St.
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: Sarah Stevens
Site type: Town defences
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 607448m, N 640946m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.519842, -7.890245
A watching brief and excavations were carried out on a site at the rear of Nos. 44-46 Main Street, Cashel. The site was to be developed by Mitchelstown Co-operative Agricultural Society Ltd., and their present premises adjoin the western side of a wall which was generally presumed to be the remains of the medieval town wall. The northern portion of this wall, which ran up to the street frontage, was demolished prior to the watching brief.
Medieval
A partial excavation of an area c. 15m x 20m, took place during two separate periods, the first being sponsored by Mitchelstown Co-op and the second by the Office of Public Works.
Two trenches dug by the wall indicated that its foundations were medieval in date, and consequently, more than likely, the town wall as supposed. A variety of medieval features was found. These were all cut into the subsoil, and included a series of linear ditches and other shallow linear features, possibly trenches for fill-beams or wall foundations; two hearths and a variety of pits. Neither the ditches nor the 'fill-beam trenches' formed a clearly interpretable pattern.
A collection of medieval pottery sherds, principally 13th/14th-century in date, was recovered. It consisted mainly of Irish made wares, with a few sherds of Ham Green and Saintonge wares.
Post medieval:
A four-sided sunken stone structure (c. 4.3m x 3.5m externally) was found to be post-medieval in date. Clay pipe bowls and stems, and post-medieval pottery sherds were recovered from the fill.
Abbeylands, Onagh Bridge, Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow
