1997:239 - DINGLE: Main Street, Kerry

This test excavation was initiated by the NMHPS in response to a development in Dingle town that was proceeding without adequate archaeological supervision. Prior to any intrusive investigation, an assessment of the development was undertaken. The excavation site is located at the rear of Benner's Hotel, Main Street, Dingle. Dingle was a walled Anglo-Norman town, although little or no upstanding remains of that wall survive, and in the main its medieval character is best preserved in its linear street pattern and its generally intact burgage plots. However, some architectural fragments from that period still survive at various locations around the town. Structurally only the battered lower courses of a single pre-18th-century house survive today.

The assessment identified at least three areas of archaeological potential, although most of the site had already been destroyed, especially the area in proximity to the possible line of the town wall. Two of the areas were manifest as large dark organic spreads containing charcoal, bone and shell; the third consisted of a severely truncated burnt feature.

The development rubble and mounds were cleared by mechanical excavator, followed by careful cleaning by hoe and trowel. Several areas of archaeological merit were identified and numbered as Areas 2 to 7. (Area 1 was the designation assigned to the burnt feature identified in the assessment, but this had been subsequently destroyed by the developers prior to the excavation and without the presence of an archaeologist.)

Area 2 comprised virtually the entire southern area of the development site (including Area 1). Although some organic material was present, the area had been excavated down to natural by the developers, and consequently construction was allowed to proceed here.

Area 3 consisted of a dark subrectangular spread, 4.2m x 1.8m, with very coherent edges. A north-south trench, 1.8m x 0.65m, was excavated through it to a depth of 0.25m onto natural. The single fill consisted of a mid-grey-brown sandy silt, loose to friable with some charcoal flecking. A fragment of a clay pipe stem was the only find recovered here.

Area 4, a dark oblong spread located immediately south of Area 3, measured 5m x 1.5m. A section was excavated through it (1.5m x 0.6m) to a depth 0.35m onto natural. The fill was the same as in Area 3. The finds from this area consisted of glass fragments, some animal bone and post-medieval pottery sherds.

Area 5, a dark spread measuring 4.6m x 2.8m, was again located close to Areas 3 and 4. A section (3m x 0.8m) was excavated to a depth of 0.25m onto natural. The fill consisted of a loose to friable mid-brown sandy silt with some gravel and shells. The finds from this area were generally of the same post-medieval nature, i.e. glass and pottery sherds, clay pipe stems and animal bone.

Area 6 measured 7.2m x 4m and was located approx. 3m north of Area 5. A section measuring 4m x 0.6m was excavated to a depth of 0.55m onto natural. The fill consisted of a loose sandy silt with charcoal flecking. Apart from a piece of a hone stone, the assemblage of finds was virtually the same as from Area 5.

Area 7 abutted the rear of the existing hotel and measured in excess of 14m x 5m as it continued under the hotel. A small truncated pit was excavated here which had been partially cut by a later pit and filled with ash. It contained a dark brown, soft, silty organic material from which post-medieval finds of glass and pottery, including a sherd of Westerwald, were recovered.

Cleaning of Area 7 revealed a hollow, around and under which was a very deep fill of organic material. Owing to the volume of material a machine was used to open a trench (Trench A), 2.2m wide and 1.5m deep. Excavation revealed the hollow to be an artificially cut feature, most likely a well. It manifested itself as a rock-cut basin with its cavity extending for 1.5m. Much of the rock had been water-lain and indeed began to fill as work proceeded. This feature appears to have been used as a convenient area for dumping and was deliberately filled in. Finds were few and were post-medieval in nature, consisting of clay pipe stems, sherds of glass and pottery.

Trench B, a section measuring 3m x 1m and 0.5m deep, was excavated through Area 7. It was filled with a soft brown silty organic material. Post-medieval finds included glass, pottery, clay pipe stems and animal bone.

Conclusion
Area 1 consisted of a localised truncated burnt feature and was destroyed by the developers prior to proper archaeological investigation.

Area 2, which encompassed Area 1, was possibly the most severely destroyed area, and ultimately or consequently did not reveal any archaeological features. This area lies closest to the possible line of the town wall, so it was particularly unfortunate that so much excavation had been carried out here without archaeological supervision.

Each of the trenches excavated in Areas 3-6 contained only one fill. The nature of the soil was very loose and the assemblage of finds indicates a post-medieval date. All of these areas had been cut into the natural material. Their function could not be determined owing to the severe truncation.

Area 7 revealed some post-medieval stratigraphy but no structures. This general area (around the rear of the hotel) may have been filled in to restore ground level when the rock-cut well became redundant.

Overall, all areas investigated proved to be post-medieval in date. However, given the severe disturbance especially in Areas 1 and 2, this rescue excavation could not accurately represent the original fingerprinting of the archaeological record.

Development was allowed to proceed.

43 Ard Carraig, Tralee, Co. Kerry