2021:783 - THURLES: Liberty Square, Tipperary
County: Tipperary
Site name: THURLES: Liberty Square
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A
Licence number: 21E0059
Author: Tim Coughlan, IAC Ltd.
Author/Organisation Address: Unit G1 Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow
Site type: Watercourse, Well and Building
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 612710m, N 658573m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.678168, -7.812047
Archaeological monitoring was undertaken between March 2020 and December 2021 in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, associated with development works. These included construction works for a new car park as well as drainage and rehabilitation work in Liberty Square.
Features identified during the course of monitoring included the following.
Nineteenth-century culvert
At a depth of 0.4m below present ground level a large culvert was uncovered running east-west through the centre of Liberty Square for approximately 85m. Measuring 1.5m in depth, the structure of the culvert consisted of lime mortar-bonded stone walls with a rubble arched roof. The stones that made up the fabric of the arched roof were all wedge shaped and the supporting walls consisted of 7 courses of similarly bonded limestone. The culvert floor was clay and sealed a lens of black organic material. The structure of the culvert changed where the feature turned southwest for 45m from arched to flat roofed, with flat capstones which rested on 4 courses of lime mortar-bonded stone blockwork. The culvert was later replaced with a concrete pipe
Stone Well, Liberty Square
A stone well was identified at the centre of Liberty Square which appeared to respect the location of the stone culvert. The well was denoted as a pump on the 1904 Ordnance Survey map. It was circular in shape and its structure consisted of 18 visible courses of limestone bonded together with a lime mortar. It measured c. 5m deep with diameter of 1.5m. Water was visible 2.5m below the present ground level. The well was capped and preserved in situ and the drainage was diverted around it. A 3D model using photogrammetry was completed prior to capping and preserving the feature.
Foundations, Liberty Square
The north to south orientated foundations of the east side of the former Market House were uncovered in two locations and consisted of 3 courses of limestone (some of which was cut limestone) with red brick inclusions bonded together with a lime mortar.
Nothing of archaeological interest was identified across the square or in the area designated for the car park to the south.