2005:082 - CARLOW: Shaw's, Tullow Street, Carlow

Monitoring of the bulk excavation of ground material was carried out in advance of construction of a new retail development at Shaw’s department store, 8–11 Tullow Street, Carlow, in July 2005. Prior to demolition, the site consisted of a terrace of three mid- to late Georgian houses (1800–1840).

Two phases of archaeological assessment were carried out in advance of construction works, in November 2004 (Excavations 2004, No. 94) and April 2005 respectively. Monitoring was carried out as part of the construction programme from 30 June to 29 July 2005. All ground material was removed to c. 4m below present ground level. The construction of the 19th-century Georgian structures and their redevelopment in the 1960s involved ground reduction to below the natural clay. As a result of this any features of archaeological significance were removed, apart from two pit features exposed on the western edge of the site during ground reduction. The larger pit was initially exposed in Phase 2 of the assessment. This feature ran into the western limits of the site and measured 3m wide (north–south) and 0.9m deep and contained a black clay with charcoal, animal bone and rubble inclusions. A fragment of North Devon gravel-tempered ware was recorded in this fill. This pottery type is common and was manufactured from the late 16th to late 18th century. The second, smaller pit feature measured 1.1m wide (north–south) and 0.21m deep and contained charcoal-rich burnt clay with animal bone. No datable finds were recovered from this pit. It was sealed by redeposited natural clay, which in turn was sealed by the 19th-century structures.

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