2006:1980 - Clashmore, Waterford

An assessment was undertaken at the site of a proposed housing estate and associated site works at Clashmore, Co. Waterford. Testing follows a geophysical survey carried out by Target Archaeological Geophysics on 16 and 17 November 2006.
A complex of linear responses and pit-type anomalies were recorded in the southern part of the survey (Area 2), which occupies an area of c. 100m by 70m. These suggest the presence of former earthworks, small enclosures and possible structural remains/former building foundations, with occupation features consistent with a dense concentration of settlement. They could represent medieval features associated with the village of Clashmore and/or early monastic occupation relating to the nearby church and graveyard (WA037–008). In addition, a number of anomalies indicate the course of a major boundary or trackway running north-east to south-west across the study area.
In the northern two-thirds of the survey area (Area 1) some anomalies and several trends of archaeological interest were also identified but these responses were less well defined and thought to lie on the margins of the former settlement in the south. The dominant responses here are those relating to variations in topography, underlying soils and geology.
The results of the test-trenching did not reveal anything of archaeological significance in Area 1. However, a number of features of potential archaeological significance were identified in Area 2.
Many of the features identified during testing corresponded to features identified in the geophysical survey. The features identified in Area 2 mostly comprised linear features, predominantly following the general topography of the area sloping down to the River Cregagh, which runs along the south boundary of the site, together with some burnt spreads/hearths and pits. Conversations with local residents indicate that at least part of this area had been used as a communal garden by the village and this would appear to be substantiated on the first-edition OS map (1842), which indicates an irregular-shaped enclosure in this area, with an entrance from Clashmore village in its north-east corner. Potential boundaries highlighted during cartographic analysis of the site and during the geophysical survey may have been identified during testing, along with features potentially related to cultivation activities. These features may, therefore, be of post-medieval date. Post-medieval pottery and fragments of clay pipes were recovered from some of the linear features.
The remaining features lay outside this area, to its north and west. These may also be related to post-medieval activities on the site, although no dates could be attached to these features due to a lack of any diagnostic material from their fills.
The presence of two sherds of medieval pottery in a deposit adjacent to the river is indicative of medieval activity in the area, but no definitive medieval enclosures or features were identified during the course of testing. Given the density of linear features identified, it is possible that some of them were associated with medieval activity, but the majority appear to be post-medieval in date and all of the features appear to be associated with agricultural activity.