County: Tipperary Site name: CLONMEL: 5-7 New Quay
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: Orla M.B. Scully
Site type: Town defences
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 619946m, N 622050m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.349687, -7.707233
Investigations at New Quay, Clonmel exposed a section of the town wall. This survived to a maximum height of 2.5m near the northern limit of the site. The wall was roughly coursed with a slight batter at the base. The stones were undressed, but the wall was well faced on the eastern side and some patches of render were evident. The core was of rubble.
The site is situated close to the south-eastern boundary of the medieval town, however, no trace of the western return of the wall was found. The extra-mural ditch was not very distinctive. Horizontal layers of silt and stoney material abutted the wall, and this area may have been subject to frequent flooding. Intra-mural layers were examined, and found to be undisturbed garden-type soil. The location of a Franciscan Friary adjacent to this part of the town wall may account for the absence of structural remains, the area, perhaps, being used for cultivation over a long period of time.
Recommendations were made for a full recording of the extant wall, and to the architect of the proposed development, suggesting that the wall might be displayed at least in part, as a feature of the future edifice.
1 Strand Street, Tramore, Co. Waterford
