County: Tipperary Site name: THURLES: Liberty Square
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 41:42 Licence number: 02E1841
Author: Mary Henry
Site type: Structure
Period/Dating: Post Medieval (AD 1600-AD 1750)
ITM: E 612561m, N 658677m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.679107, -7.814234
Pre-construction testing was undertaken on a site known as Bridge House at Liberty Square, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. The site is opposite a tower-house, known as Bridge Castle. It backs onto the River Suir. The owners of the site have obtained planning permission to demolish the existing building and construct a mixed residential and retail development.
Three trenches were opened on the footprint of the proposed building. Results from the testing revealed that the river had been wider than at present. This was based on the large number of water-rolled stones and sedimentation found at the bottom of the trench nearest to the river. Testing also revealed a structure on the site pre-dating the demolished building (which dated to the early 19th century). The newly revealed structure was confined to the western part of the site, farthest from the river. No conclusive dating evidence emerged to indicate when the walls were built. However, the structure appears to be on Rocque’s 1755 map and the 1819 Llandaff estate map, but the date of construction remains unknown. Cobbled surfaces were found to extend beneath the walls.
Given the nature of the archaeological features—the walls and cobbled surfaces—further investigative works will be carried out on this site in 2003.
24 Queen Street, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
