2022:540 - Holland Street, Liscannor, Clare

Test trenching was carried out on a proposed housing development at Holland Street, Liscannor, Co. Clare. The 1.6ha site is located on the western outskirts of the Liscannor village and is accessed from Holland Street to the south. An existing dwelling stands in a large garden at the south and the northern half is undeveloped pasture.
Sixteen test trenches were excavated, each of which was 1.8m wide, with a total length of 615m. Trenches in the northern field typically showed a thin topsoil over glacial till (clay) and limestone bedrock was seen at the extreme north of the site. Trenches at the south-east of the site revealed made ground composed of modern soil and building rubble. This made ground was reportedly deposited in recent years and filled a natural hollow.
A potential archaeological feature was found in a trench in the south-west part of the site. This was a thin deposit of orange and black material including burnt limestone and charcoal. The deposit lay beneath approximately 1m of made ground and observed dimensions were 3.9m (north to south) by 1.3m and 0.25m thick. The burnt stone spread is likely larger than seen in the slightly extended test trench; however the trench could not be extended to the west as the driveway to the current house is located here. The deposit was not excavated at this stage.
It was proposed that this deposit be fully excavated prior to construction, should the development proceed. Archaeological monitoring of construction groundworks in the southern part of the site was also recommended.

TVAS (Ireland) Ltd, Ahish, Ballinruan, Crusheen, Co. Clare