County: Monaghan Site name: THE DIAMOND, Clones
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 00E0301
Author: Eoghan Moore
Site type: Building
Period/Dating: Post Medieval (AD 1600-AD 1750)
ITM: E 650173m, N 825839m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.179057, -7.231425
Testing was carried out to determine the impact of the proposed development of a new Credit Union building on any surviving archaeological remains present on the site. Three test-trenches were excavated by mechanical digger on 17–19 May 2000.
Test-trench 1 measured 2m east–west x 1m. The stratigraphy consisted of a layer of concrete immediately above a deposit of rubble. Beneath the rubble lay a natural deposit of grey clay. No diagnostic archaeological artefacts were uncovered.
Test-trench 2 measured 1m east–west x 2m. The stratigraphy consisted of a tiled floor over concrete. The concrete lay immediately above an undisturbed deposit of brown soil, which lay immediately above a natural deposit of grey/red clay. No diagnostic archaeological artefacts were uncovered.
Test-trench 3, located in the open area to the rear of the existing building, measured 25m east–west x 1.8m. In addition, an open-plan excavation was carried out in the area immediately to the east and south of Trench 3. This measured c. 6m north–south x 6m. A 19th-century drain was uncovered in the western extremity of the test-trench, and the remains of a stone wall were uncovered in the eastern extremity. The exposed extent of the wall was c. 9.6m long north–south and c. 3.2m high. An overhanging stone lip feature was present on top of the length of the wall. An east-facing doorway c. 2.8m high was also exposed (the full width of the doorway was not uncovered). This wall was interpreted as the remains of the 17th/18th-century curtain-wall of Clones Castle.
A lateral wall was uncovered extending eastwards from the stone wall remains. The exposed extent was 4.2m long north–south by 0.6m. This lateral wall was only exposed, not excavated, and was interpreted as the remains of a 17th/18th-century tower wall.
As no structural foundations were proposed for the part of the site in which the archaeological remains were uncovered, it was recommended that the exposed stone wall and tower remains be covered with terram prior to the development of this area as a carpark. In addition, it was recommended that an information plaque be erected giving details of the location of the stone wall and tower remains.
Prospect House, Dunsrim, Scotshouse, Co. Monaghan
