County: Tipperary Site name: CLONMEL: 1-4 Gladstone Street
Sites and Monuments Record No.: TS083-019 Licence number: 04E0503
Author: Mary Henry, Mary Henry Archaeological Services Ltd.
Site type: Town
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 620307m, N 622447m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.353237, -7.701896
Testing occurred at this site in advance of submitting planning permission to build a small commercial and residential block. The site is located to the north of the centre of Clonmel and just outside the walled town.
Three trenches were opened on the site and nothing earlier than the post-medieval period was found. Considering the layout of the current premises, it is strongly suggested that the cobbled surface discovered in Trench 2 is the remains of a yard associated with the first building of 19th-century date constructed on the plot. This was further endorsed by the presence of a creamware plate immediately on top of the cobbled surface. This type of tableware is usually dated to the mid-19th century and would fall into the relevant period regarding the construction of the first building.
All the linear features discovered in Trenches 1 and 2 showed the characteristics of furrows. Considering the fact that they underlay the cobbles and are cut into the natural, they must be taken at face value. This strongly suggested that the proposed development site, being external to the walled town, was under some form of cultivation prior to the construction of the first building in c. 1835. Map evidence (1815 and 1832) consolidated this theory.
A large deep cut was found in one of the trenches and this was more of an enigma. With vertical sides and infill of demolition debris and rubble, it reflected all the characteristics of a dedicated foundation layer to accommodate building works. However, there was no evidence of a standing structure on this site; furthermore, all the maps consulted show this site to be vacant. Possibly a scheme was envisaged for this site and the rubble and demolition debris was deposited, but this is as far as the project progressed.
17 Staunton Row, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
