2010:631 - Roscrea Town Centre, Tipperary

The proposed development site is located in the centre of Roscrea, south-west of Lourdes Road and approximately 20m north of TN012–01005 (a round tower). The suggested development is within the zone of potential for TN012–010 (the historic town of Roscrea), with a number of archaeological monuments within the immediate vicinity: TN012–01001 (church), TN012–01002 (graveyard), TN012–01006 (high cross), TN012–01007 (castle), TN012–01008 (possible motte site) and TN012–01011 (architectural fragments in Damer House). A geophysical survey was carried out in April 2008 in which concentrations of potential archaeological features were identified. Test-trenching was undertaken to investigate these anomalies. The testing proved that the anomalies were archaeological and identified a number of other archaeological features at the site. It was suggested that the topsoil removal at the site be monitored and that all features noted be excavated by hand.
The excavation was carried out over a sixteen-week period from April to August 2010. The excavations revealed evidence of multi-phase activity. They were carried out adjacent to an early ecclesiastical site, founded in the 7th century and remaining in use throughout the medieval period. The south-eastern limit of excavation was less than 20m from the round tower, which would have been situated at the centre of the monastic complex. It can be surmised then that, given the proximity of the excavations to the centre of a once bustling monastic complex, many of the features uncovered would be associated with it. This is further evidenced by the recovery during the excavation of several artefacts that would be broadly coeval with the monastery. Features uncovered include ditches, drains, pits, bowl furnaces, furrows, post-holes, stake-holes, slot-trenches and a corn-drying kiln.
Finds included a number of sherds of medieval pottery, a number of iron objects including nails, knives, arrowheads and approximately 90kg of iron slag, a fragment of a lignite bracelet, tuyère fragments, an Edward I long cross silver penny, a 17th-century token, several fragments of possible disarticulated human bone, a bone spindle whorl, composite bone comb fragment, several bone pins, quernstone fragments and several worked pieces of antler including a possible awl/pointer/stylus.
At the time of writing, the stratigraphic report outlining the initial findings of the excavation is being compiled.