2005:1429 - FETHARD: Sparagoulea Road, Tipperary

Testing was undertaken as part of a planning submission to build two dwelling houses at Sparagoulea Road, Fethard. Sparagoulea Road is situated to the north of the centre of the town, with the medieval town wall forming its northern boundary. The town wall survives to an average height of 4.2m and a 0.7m width on the site, although the eastern extent of the wall within the development site has been replaced with breezeblocks at some time in the latter half of the 20th century. Cartographic research suggested the actual site had been almost totally devoid of buildings throughout its history, the one exception being Swiney’s map of 1763 which showed a large rectangular structure, which appeared to be of a military/defensive nature and located where the town wall had been destroyed and rebuilt with breezeblocks.

Five test-trenches were opened on the site. Seven features were uncovered. Four were relatively modern and associated with agricultural or horticultural practices. A large rectangular pit with a single fill was found. This fill contained abundant small to medium rounded stones intermixed with a friable, sandy, dark-brown clay. A small quantity of animal bone and medieval pottery was found in the pit. Its function, however, remained unknown. Two linear features were also recorded in one of the test-trenches. Both contained copious amounts of medium irregular stones, occasional flecks of charcoal and one sherd of post-medieval pottery.

The area where the building marked on Swiney’s 1763 map was supposed to have existed will not be disturbed by the development and accordingly was not tested. Although no medieval structures were found in the course of testing works, the presence of the structure on the 1763 map does suggest municipal/military activity within this vicinity, probably associated with the town wall.

17 Staunton Row, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary