2016:351 - Cratloekeel, Clare

Nine trenches were hand dug around the tower-house and later wings in advance of refurbishment. Trenches 1-3 investigated if a bawn wall had existed and it was concluded that no remains of a medieval bawn wall were present. The tower-house is located on a rock outcrop and it is likely that it did not originally have a bawn wall. Trenches 4-5 investigated the possibility that the structure was constructed as a sectional tower-house in two parts. It was concluded on the basis of in situ mortar on bedrock, that it likely was constructed in two parts, with the smaller section remaining extant. Trenches 6 and 7 investigated the northern side of the tower-house in the location of a northern wing added in the post-medieval period. Post-tower-house activity was found in this area, including fragments of a white marble slab/worktop, likely used when this area was in use as a dairy, in the early 20th century. Trenches 8-9 investigated the interior of the structure where floor levels, relating to the later use of the structure, were uncovered. No medieval deposits or artefacts were recovered during the testing.