2001:1223 - HOLYCROSS, Tipperary

Test-trenching was carried out in March 2001 on the site of a proposed private dwelling within Holycross village, Co. Tipperary N.R. The site was within the limits of a recorded monument listed as ‘an enclosure’ and surviving as a large, circular, low earthwork and cropmark. Two test-trenches were opened by machine along the foundations of the proposed house and engineering trial-pits dug were inspected.

The earlier pre-Cistercian placename for Holycross was Ceall Uachta Lawyne or Lamund, meaning ‘the upper church (or small) church (in the territory) of Lamund’. The placename Ceall or Cill usually refers to the early monastic settlement tradition, prior to the 12th-century reforms. Although little is known of Lamund or Lawyne, a nephew of St Patrick called Loman (or Lonan) was known to be living in the 5th century (d. 450) and became bishop of Trim, Co. Meath. However, other accounts place Loman in the 7th century. The early monastic settlement at Holycross probably centred on the elevated hill overlooking the River Suir and the later Cistercian Holy Cross Abbey. Traces of a circular enclosing earthwork are seen from an aerial photograph and are visible as an earthwork in the field east of the Protestant church south of this site.

Trench 1 was located along the proposed west wall of the dwelling and measured 14.5m (north–south) by 1–1.5m. It revealed light buff stony sandy boulder clay natural, cut to the north by a linear ditch feature, C1, with concave profile, flat base and stony silty clay fill, aligned east–west and 1.6m in width by 0.35m in depth. A small area of charcoal-rich silt was also noted sealing natural, 0.15–1m south of C1, and possibly represented the base of a ploughed-out bank. Both features were sealed by a layer of sandy silt clay, 0.3m thick, and by a clayey ploughsoil, 0.3m thick.

Trench 2 was perpendicular to and extended east of Trench 1, along the proposed south wall. This trench was 11.2m (east–west) by 1m and revealed a layer of dark brown stony silty clay, C4, with abundant animal bone and charcoal to a depth of over 1.1m. C4 was partially sealed to the west by an area of in situ burning, C3, with abundant charcoal, ash and some burnt bone inclusions, 0.5m+ in width. Both C3 and C4 were sealed by 0.3m of sandy silt clay and clayey ploughsoil.

Trench 3 was an engineering trial-pit, 3.5m east of the proposed dwelling, and was 3.5m (east–west) by 1.3m. Here natural was cut by the continuation of the curving ditch feature C1, aligned north-east/south-west, 1.8m in width and 0.45m in depth. Trenches 4 and 5 were also trial-pits, located respectively 16m and 14.5m east of the proposed dwelling. Nothing of archaeological significance was revealed in these trial-pits.

The proposed development site lies within a large undisturbed enclosure of probable Early Christian date. The archaeological deposits revealed consist of a shallow enclosing ditch, residual bank and interior occupation deposits. Therefore the archaeological impact of this development may be high. Full preservation, or an engineering solution to that effect, or full excavation was recommended to Dúchas.

Farney Bridge, Holycross, Co. Tipperary