County: Tipperary Site name: Ballybeg and Aghnameadle
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 21E0599
Author: Niall Gregory
Site type: Possible early medieval
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 601472m, N 676747m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.841659, -7.978151
The client, Seamus Ryan Sand and Gravel Ltd, is undertaking an extension to a sand and gravel quarry at Ballybeg, Toomevara, Co, Tipperary. The development will consist of extension of the quarry and for continued use of the site entrance, access laneway, weighbridge, maintenance shed, settlement lagoons, site office, toilet, plant and machinery and ancillary works. The extension area will be 13.818ha in lands to the north-west of the existing quarry at Ballybeg and Aghnameadle, Toomevara, Co. Tipperary. Condition No. 1 of Further Information Required, Ref. 21/24, identifies requirement for Geophysical Survey and Archaeological Test Excavation.
Excavation took place from 16-20 September 2021. Test trenches were arranged to coincide with anomalies identified by geophysical survey as well as additional trenches to ensure comprehensive coverage over the entirety of the site. Sections of the northern part of the site were not tested or subject to geophysical survey due to the steepness of the terrain. Some of the geophysical survey inferred potential significant archaeology, such as a denuded enclosure at one location. However, the test exaction identified many of the anomalies to be geological features, or are due to modern agricultural activities.
In the event three features were identified as small hearths or kilns of an archaeological pedigree. While samples have been obtained for the purpose of environmental analysis and radiocarbon dating, they have the aspect of possibly being prehistoric. However, this is subject to confirmation through scientific dating methods. No artefacts were found associated with these features. Metalworking residue was extracted from one of the hearth/kilns. Samples have been forwarded for carbon dating. It is currently anticipated that this may reveal an early medieval date.
Initial interpretation of the findings of the archaeological test excavation infers that the site of the proposed quarry may form part of a dispersed archaeological (possibly prehistoric) landscape. It has been recommended that, as topsoil stripping activities occur as precursor to quarry extension works, topsoil stripping is archaeologically monitored.
Dunburbeg, Clonmel Road, Cashel, Co. Tipperary
