1995:252 - CLONMEL: Bridge St./ Grubb's Quay, Tipperary

The archaeological excavation commenced on 2 October 1995 and was completed on 2 November 1995. The purpose of the excavation was to establish the presence/absence of archaeological deposits and structures before the construction of a four-storey apartment block.

The site is located along Clonmel's riverfront in the south-western part of the medieval walled town. The line of the medieval town wall extended along the southern part of the site.

The excavation established the line and the extent of part of the southern section of the medieval town wall. It also confirmed that at least part of the town wall extended along the riverfront. The wall was in a reasonable state of preservation. It was randomly coursed and constructed of undressed pieces of sandstone and rubble masonry and bonded with a quite soluble, fine estuarine sand mortar. The wall was 1.3m wide and standing to a max. height of 1.8m. It was built on very compact, naturally deposited estuarine gravels. It was not possible to obtain an overall view of the wall as its outer face coincided with the southern edge of the site. However, as in other parts of the town, the medieval wall was somewhat disturbed. There was substantial building activity along its inner face. The remains of a curved structure incorporated part of the inner face of the town wall. The curved structure may have been the remains of an intermural fortification defending the wall along the River Suir.

The presence of the medieval town wall along the riverfront would suggest that there was no need for a town ditch in this part of the town and that the River Suir acted as the second line of defence along the southern side of the medieval town.

There was a very extensive medieval organic deposit throughout much of the site. The organic spread, which occurred at depths of between 2.5m and 4.7m below modern ground level, was sealed with impervious clays. Subsequent building activity on the site avoided the destruction of the deposit. The deposition of the organic deposit occurred after the construction of the town wall. It was very dark and became black following oxidation. It had a strong lingering organic smell, a clayey sand composition, was very compressed and resembled peat in texture. It had a high humic content, including a high content of plant remains, waste and refuse with remnants of food. Other finds included a large amount of wood including twigs and small branches, an assortment of animal bone, fragments of oyster shell, occasional hazelnut shells, and several fragments of shoe and boot leather. A total of 24 sherds of medieval pottery were found in the deposit. The deposit represents the archaeological remains of a dumping ground for waste and occupational refuse inside the line of the town wall and to the rear of the properties fronting the main medieval street.

1 Jervis Place, Clonmel, Co .Tipperary