County: Cork Site name: BUTTEVANT
Sites and Monuments Record No.: RMP 17:53(01) Licence number: 01E1044
Author: Mary G. O’Donnell, Archaeological Services Unit, Department of Archaeology, University College Cork
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 554224m, N 609144m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.232134, -8.670125
Cork County Council commissioned a new water scheme around Buttevant. The trenches extended through the zone of archaeological constraint of the historic town of Buttevant, which was founded in the early 13th century. There are a number of archaeological and historical sites both within the town and in its environs. Development works within the historic town required monitoring and part of the project was archaeologically supervised. The monitored section was mainly on the south side of the town and excavation of the trenches was monitored sporadically over a nine-week period from October to December 2001.
No finds or features of any significance were recovered during the monitoring. The majority of the features exposed along the trench section faces appeared to be relatively modern in date and disturbed by modern water pipes. A number of stone drains with capstones were exposed along the trenches and also appeared to be modern in date. The only feature of any possible significance was a large pit or ditch which was exposed close to the modern Convent of Mercy. No datable material was recovered from this feature.
The trenches crossed the probable line of the town wall close to Lombard’s Castle (RMP 17:53(02)) but no evidence of any foundation courses of the wall was uncovered.
