County: Clare Site name: CLONMONEY WEST (SITE M33)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 99E0617
Author: Carleton Jones
Site type: Well and Road - road/trackway
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 542370m, N 662057m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.706571, -8.852770
The site consists of a well and a metalled trackway, situated on low-lying pasture/marsh. The object of the test excavation was to investigate the area immediately surrounding the well to determine whether it could be linked to the trackway, or any other features, or assigned a date. Excavations were carried out on 22–4 November 1999. One cutting and three trenches were excavated by hand.
Finds included a sheep metapodial, fragments of red brick, concrete slabs incorporated into the well, a horseshoe and an oyster shell.
Cutting 1 revealed concrete slabs incorporated into the well, indicating that it dates to the last few centuries. Trenches 2 and 3 revealed a metalled trackway extending to the west and east of the well. Broken bricks incorporated into the trackway indicate that it also dates to the last few centuries. Trench 4 showed that the track post-dates the well, though probably only by a short time.
As both the well and the track date to the last few centuries and the track points towards Clonmoney House (a 19th- or possibly 18th-century house), it seems almost certain that both features relate to the house. As the track continues to the west of the well, it may also relate to Ballycaseymore House, another 18th/19th-century house a short distance to the west.
The well and the track therefore are features arising from 18th- to 20th-century farming practices in the area. They were probably built by one of the larger landowners in the area, residing in either Clonmoney House or Ballycaseymore House.
63 Cregaun, Tobarteascain, Ennis, Co. Clare
