2003:1834 - WINDMILL (Site 35), Tipperary

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Tipperary Site name: WINDMILL (Site 35)

Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 03E0424

Author: Neil Fairburn, for Judith Carroll Network Archaeology Ltd.

Site type: Pit and Burial

Period/Dating: Undetermined

ITM: E 607233m, N 639121m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.503436, -7.893452

Phase 2 excavation was carried out at Site 35 on behalf of South Tipperary County Council in advance of construction of the N8 Cashel Bypass and N74 Link Road. The scheme involves a 6km bypass route of the town and a 2km link road of the N74.

Site 35 is an area of good quality pastoral land which lies along the north-eastern slope of Windmill Hill in Windmill townland, c. 1km south of the town of Cashel. To the south is Windmill ringfort (SMR 61:72) and a medieval leper hospital (SMR 61:73).

Site 35 had previously been tested by Anne Marie Lennon during Phase 1 pre-construction works in 2002 (Excavations 2000, No. 1776, 02E0378). This revealed a single circular pit.

The Phase 2 stripping and resolution of this area was undertaken to fully excavate the pit and to ascertain if there were any other related features in the vicinity. A number of pits, post-holes and plough furrows were uncovered during the excavation. No form of structure or general site function were discovered and the few finds were post-medieval in date.

The majority of the features on Site 35 were composed of randomly distributed pits, post-holes and stake-holes, none of which contained any datable finds and only a few of which contained archaeological material. A small number of human bones, including a skull fragment, foot bone and clavicle, were recovered from the subsoil in the eastern portion of the site during topsoil-stripping. Cleaning of the surrounding area did not reveal any further bones or a grave-cut. It is likely that ploughing, shown by the numerous plough furrows crossing the site, had disturbed a grave and that there were now no other archaeological remains present.

Cocyn Uchaf, Moelfre, Anglesey, Wales