2009:748 - MARKET STREET, EMMET STREET AND PARNELL STREET, CLONMEL, Tipperary

Monitoring was undertaken on the upgrade of the Clonmel Drainage Network. The original scheme was intended to cover several areas within Clonmel town and its immediate environs. However, due to design issues and other constraints the scheme was greatly reduced in scope. Groundworks had commenced on part of the scheme by the time CBC commissioned an archaeologist to undertake the monitoring works. However, these areas of works were outside Clonmel town centre and away from any archaeological constraint areas.
Clonmel is classified as a historic town in the Record of Monuments and Places (RMP) for South Tipperary. Furthermore, it is a walled town and accordingly these town walls are a national monument. The areas trenched to facilitate pipe-laying for the scheme were Emmet Street, Market Street and limited works along the east half of Parnell Street. Emmet Street is just to the east of the town wall, extending parallel with it, Market Street is within the walled town, whilst Parnell Street is to the east of the walled town.

In total fifteen features were revealed during this scheme, all of which were located within, or in close proximity to, the medieval portion of Clonmel town. The dates of these features, the majority of which consisted of walls or surfaces, ranged between the medieval and Victorian periods.
It has been considered that a medieval gate was located within the vicinity of the Mitchell Street/Parnell Street/Emmet Street junction. A large rectangular area was opened here as part of this scheme and the most noticeable fact apparent was the large-scale disturbance associated with drainage works of the last century. No evidence of the town wall or gate per se was found at this location; however, the remains of a wall were considered highly likely to be of medieval provenance. This wall was bonded on its southern face with lime-rich mortar and its coursing and construction definitely had the attributes of the medieval period, as well as being cut into the natural clay. The case for caution as proposing it being part of the town wall is based on two points: its alignment, and the small amount of wall available to investigate. It has previously been considered that the eastern aspect of the town wall extends on a north–south alignment, with a gate at the junction of three streets, with the wall continuing down Dowd’s Lane towards the river. The wall was, without doubt, aligned north-east/southwest and on a different alignment to that of the town wall. It is possible the wall sweeps into a recess at this location, which would have provided greater security; however, no similar style to this is presently visible at any of the extant parts of the wall on the rest of its circuit. Regarding its dimensions and function, not nearly enough information could be gleaned during monitoring to confirm conclusively whether this feature is the town wall. This was due to the fact that the wall was only exposed in the trench section. It was also noticeable that a north–south-aligned Victorian culvert abutted it on its north-western side, whilst a modern pipe had totally truncated the upper courses. Therefore, it is considered this wall is highly likely to be of medieval provenance, although its actual function and associations are still open to debate as its investigation is inconclusive.
The trench opened along Emmet Street revealed substantial Victorian drainage works in the form of drains and culverts. The main north–south culvert discovered was built within a very large cut, which would have required an extensive labour force. It is therefore considered this work dates from the middle of the 19th century and was probably commissioned as famine work. Close to the Emmet Street/Market Street junction, a cobbled surface was revealed. This surface was sealed by a later cobbled surface, which had a piece of 19th-century glass retrieved from the top of its cobbles, whilst a layer of silt was present between the surfaces. Furthermore, the cobbles of the lower surface were bonded in places with a lime-rich mortar. This strongly suggests this surface was within a structure; however, it was discovered on the eastern (exterior) site of the proposed line of the town wall. It may be associated with the towers denoted by Goubet on his 1690 map of Clonmel and this surface is part of the interior floor of a structure of medieval or early post-medieval date.
The medieval town wall was revealed at three locations extending across Market Street during this scheme. The wall was aligned north–south and located just west of the Emmet Street/Market Street junction. It was uncovered on the northern side of the carriageway just north of the road centre-line and on the southern side of the carriageway. The town wall section at the northern side of the carriageway had been much disturbed by the previous laying of a gas main.
Regarding the section of town wall which was located near the centre of the Market Street carriageway, a section of another wall abutted the east side of the town wall. It was considered this section of wall was of medieval date and may be part of a fortification (bastion) as suggested on Goubet’s map of 1690.
Three walls were recorded towards the western end of Market Street, all of which were post-medieval. A drystone wall was exposed for a distance of 4.5m. It was cut on its western side by a Victorian culvert whilst a water pipe trench cut it to the east. A projection of its line threw up an interesting point; this wall appeared to have formed the northern side of Market Street in its eastern aspect, but, when projected to the west, it cut across the present road and extended into Gladstone Street beneath the building now on the south side of the street. At present, the western end of Market Street has a distinct kink to the north-west. Two further walls were revealed, on either side of Constitution Lane, which is thought to be a medieval lane. Therefore, these walls belong to two distinct structures. It is therefore considered the western end of Market Street has been remodelled at some point after the post-medieval period, which included the demolition of the buildings on the north-western side of the street to facilitate the road, whilst the original road line to the south was developed.
Although a limited area was opened within the eastern part of Clonmel, enough evidence has been retrieved to confirm, even after extensive Victorian and modern groundworks, that there are still large pockets of archaeological deposits pertaining to the medieval and early post-medieval period within this area of the town. This scheme has also given some credence to the 1690 Goubet map of Clonmel, especially regarding the triangular towers represented on the eastern line, of which there may well be extant remains beneath the houses on Emmet Street. It has also offered strong evidence that the western aspect of Market Street was changed within the last 200 years, although an exact date is not known.
The works for the scheme were located along the eastern part of Parnell Street, and well away from the medieval town and the town wall. Groundworks along the eastern half of Parnell Street entailed the excavation of two chambers on Parnell Street to facilitate the augering. No archaeological remains were found in either excavated chamber.