County: Tipperary Site name: TOWNPARKS, ROSCREA
Sites and Monuments Record No.: TN012–010 Licence number: C374; E4057
Author: Tracy Collins, ÆGIS Archaeology Ltd, 32 Nicholas Street, King’s Island, Limerick.
Site type: Medieval
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 613578m, N 689347m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.954742, -7.797930
Limited excavations were undertaken in the courtyard of Roscrea Castle (a national monument in state ownership) as part of an impact assessment in advance of improvement of visitor facilities. Five trenches were opened by hand throughout the courtyard of the castle and one trench was opened in the ^drying ground’ to the west. Archaeological features were revealed in several of the trenches including a well noted on a map dating to 1864 (Manning 2003, 15) and several pits and possible ridge-and-furrow activity. While no evidence was revealed in relation to the earlier earthen and timber castle on the site, evidence of a cob-walled structure was found in a trench to the west of Damer House. This was interpreted as evidence of a 17th-century house known from historical sources to have been attached to the south-west tower of the castle.
Reference Manning, C. (ed.) 2003 Excavations at Roscrea Castle.
Dublin.
