County: Limerick Site name: Newtown
Sites and Monuments Record No.: LI004–017, LI004–018 Licence number: 08E0871
Author: Seán Shanahan, Shanarc Archaeological Consultancy, Loc na Mon, Sion Road, Kilkenny.
Site type: Pits
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 562852m, N 656638m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.659655, -8.549106
Test-trenching was carried out on the site of a proposed development of a dwelling house at Tervoe (Newtown townland) as a condition of planning. The development is located immediately outside of but abutting the zones of archaeological potential for an enclosure and a holy well. The enclosure is situated in the same greenfield site as the proposed development and the holy well is situated to the immediate north in an adjoining site. Seven trenches were excavated across the site of the proposed development, varying from 15–30m in length by 1.8m wide and excavated to a depth of 0.4m to natural subsoil.
Two pit features were uncovered in Trench 7, 6.5m apart. The pits were circular in plan and measured 1.2m and 0.6m in diameter by 0.35m and 0.2m in depth respectively. These pits were cut into the natural subsoil and their vertical sides came to a slightly rounded base. Both pits contained a single fill of a compact, dark-grey sandy silt deposit containing a moderate amount of small flecks of charcoal and burnt and vitrified stones. No artefacts were recovered from the site. Given the close proximity of the enclosure, it can be assumed that these pits are contemporary with this monument (i.e. medieval).
There were no other archaeological features or finds uncovered during the course of testing.
