2022:921 - Burgagery-Lands West (Clonmel Town), Tipperary

A total of 38 slit trenches were opened as part of the proposed Clonmel Public Realm Works to determine the location of existing utilities and services as part of the design process for the proposed Realm Works. The requirement for archaeological monitoring of slit trenches was due to the Project being within the Zone of Archaeological Potential established around the historic town of Clonmel.  The slit trenches were sited predominantly within Clonmel’s town centre and its immediate environs extending from Irishtown in the west, to Abbey Street in the east.

In addition to opening the slit trenches, five dedicated archaeological trenches were opened due to the proximity of the proposed Project to the projected/known line of the medieval town defences. They were positioned where it was considered the Project would likely impact upon the locations of the town defences.

Slit trenching commenced in the western extra-mural suburb of Irishtown. Four trenches were sited in Irishtown, along the stretch of street nearest to the medieval walled town’s western circuit. No medieval deposits/remains were found in any of the four trenches opened, with deposits dating at the earliest to the post-medieval period.

One slit trench was opened at the south end of Wolfe Tone Street, which lies just to the east of the medieval walled town’s western circuit with the back (west) wall of the properties fronting the west side of the street built off the town wall. This trench was substantially disturbed by services, although the remains of a wall was exposed at a depth of 500mm. This wall was damaged by previous pipe-laying, with only one course surviving and an exposed area measuring 400mm (east-west) x 300mm. Given its measurements, components and construction, it was considered it was not of medieval provenance.

Two slit trenches were opened on Bridge Street, whilst one was opened around the west corner of the street, on the Quay. An important street in medieval Clonmel, it led from the town centre to the south end of Bridge Street, where the South or Bridge Gate was sited on the medieval town defences. This Gate controlled access across the bridge over the river Suir.  Although there was a high level of disturbance due to a large quantity of services and modern infill in the openings on Bridge Street, the remains of a cobbled surface (earlier street surface) were noted at a depth of 400mm. The trench around the corner on The Quay was dominated by modern infill and services associated with the abutting apartment block built in the mid-1990s.

One slit trench was opened towards the south end of Mary Street, one of the five streets within the medieval town core. Excavations were very shallow in this opening, as it was dominated by services and the wall foundation of a demolished building previously fronting the street.

Ten slit trenches were opened on O’Connell Street. The main thoroughfare in Clonmel town since the medieval period, it was first mentioned in the Ormond Deeds in c. 1350.  All openings were disturbed by services, although some more than others. Remains of earlier cobbles street surfaces were exposed in two trenches, both of which were located on the south side of the street at depths of between 400mm and 500mm. Very limited surface remains were exposed in either opening.  The most western trenches on O’Connell Street were completely dominated by services and modern infill, whilst two openings, located on the north side of the street, and towards its east end, showed extensive disturbance due to the presence of existing services. Another trench was highly disturbed with modern inclusions (plastic glove, sweet wrappers, etc.) and disarticulated animal bone found within its mixed infill.  Towards the west end of O’Connell Street there was extensive infilling in two openings, which were opposite each other on either side of the street. This infill extended to depths of 1.4/1.5m and contained frequent stone, red brick, slate intermixed with a mid/dark brown silty sandy gravel.   An opening was sited mid-way along the south side of the street, a wall was uncovered at the northern end of the road section of the trench. Extending across the width of the trench at a depth of 500mm below ground level, it had a width of 600mm (north-south) and an exposed length of 800mm.  As it was only partially exposed, it was not possible to establish its provenance.  Although a lot of services and modern infill were within the trench, there was a deposit of dark grey/brown silty clay at a depth of 600mm under the footpath section. It was considered this deposit, although not excavated, may have been of archaeological provenance.

Three trenches were opened on Sarsfield Street, which was one of the five main medieval streets within the town, leading from the market cross at the O’Connell Street/Gladstone Street junction to the river Suir, terminating at the Water Gate on the town defences' southern circuit.  Two openings on the west side of the street were dominated by services and modern infill. The other was sited on the east side, towards its south end. This trench was dominated by a corridor of services in its western 2m road section. In the eastern part of the trench an archaeological deposit, comprising a dark grey/brown silty clay, occurred beneath a mixed deposit of mid- to dark brown sandy clay with mortar and red brick. Occurring at a depth of 900mm, this archaeological deposit extended to at least the base of the trench which was at a depth of 1.2m. It had a high silt content and contained flecks of shell and charcoal.

Eight trenches were opened on Gladstone Street. This street was the second most prominent street in the medieval period, first mentioned in a deed dating to 1532.  The street led to the North Gate on the north circuit of the town wall.  Four openings were sited on its west side with the other four on the east side of the street. In common with other locations, there were extensive services and mixed, previously disturbed infill present in the openings. A cobbled surface was uncovered beneath the road make-up in one of the trenches. With a thickness of 150mm, mixed infill comprising a light brown coarse-grained gravelly sand extended beneath the surface and to the base of the trench. Just north of mid-way along the west side of the street a wall was uncovered in a slit trench. A 2.5m long section of this wall had been covered with concrete as part of building a nearby manhole. The wall, dominating the width of the trench and 500mm below ground level, had exposed measurements of 2.5m (east-west) by 600mm.  It was located 1.3m from the edge of the footpath and extended east-west across the carriageway. The location, extending across a section of the carriageway, in conjunction with its dimensions, leads to uncertainty as to a function and provenance.  The slit trenches sited on the east side of Gladstone Street were highly disturbed.

One opening was sited at the east end of Market Street. This street which links Gladstone Street with Emmet Street, is located inside the medieval walled town. The slit trench was dominated by services and excavations ceased at the 400mm level.

Three openings were sited on Mitchell Street, all along its western third.  This street is a narrow medieval street within the walled town leading to the East Gate. The three trenches were completely choked by services. It would appear these services were laid as part of the re-surfacing and pedestrianisation of Mitchell Street some years previously.

Three openings were sited on Abbey Street. Within the precinct of the medieval Franciscan Friary, this street is within the medieval walled town, with the southern wall circuit extending east-west across its south end.  One trench was positioned towards the southern end of the street, abutting the residential building associated with the Abbey. This trench was dominated by services with two of them occurring at its base, whilst the section nearest to the building had a wall foundation extending along the east end of the trench. The other two openings were sited in the northern third of the street. Traces of a culvert were uncovered under the road section in one of the openings, whilst a bank of ducting and what looked like re-deposited natural soil occurred beneath the footpath make-up extending to the base of this section

One trench was sited on Bank Lane. This land extends at right angles to Abbey Street.  The trench was highly disturbed with disarticulated human bone occurring within a mixed deposit at a depth of c. 800mm/900mm.  A total of 65 fragments were retrieved. All were adult and represented one female and one male.  Skeletal and dental lesions were observed including porotic hyperostosis and degenerative joint disease of the lower spine whilst one tooth had calcified plaque. A fragment from the frontal bone of a cranium indicated the metopic suture had been retained into adulthood. These findings are not uncommon in archaeological human bone. The human remains are very likely to be associated with the medieval burial ground within the Franciscan friary precinct.

Five dedicated archaeological test trenches were opened due to their proximity to the projected/known line of the medieval town defences: one on the western circuit (AT 01); two on the eastern circuit (AT 02 & AT 03); and two on the southern circuit (AT 04 & AT 05).

Opened beneath the West Gate, which was reconstructed in 1831 on the site of the medieval gate, trench (AT 01) was located in the centre of the road to avoid broadband ducting. Due to the presence of a gas pipe 900mm below ground level, excavation ceased in the southern half of the trench; however in the northern portion of the trench modern layers extended to a depth of 700 below ground level, where a layer of  sand extended down for a further 400mm (min.) and sealed a dark grey silty clay. This layer contained fragments of oyster shell and offered all the characteristics of an organic deposit of considerable antiquity. It is considered this layer is most probably of medieval provenance and associated with the road surface beneath the gate during this period.

 Located on the eastern circuit of the town defences, trench AT 02 was positioned at the site of the East (Kilsheelane) Gate. Unfortunately, due to a damaged water main, this trench had to be abandoned, with nothing of archaeological provenance identified in the upper stratigraphy.

A test trench, AT 03, was positioned at the east end of Market Street to determine the location of where the town wall crosses the street. The trench was sited to the north of the centre line of the carriageway. A substantial stone wall was exposed 650mm below ground level extending across the trench with a width of 1.7m and exposed depth of 1.1m. It was constructed with nude, large limestone, although topped with smaller stones and bonded with a light brown brittle lime mortar. Earlier damage was noticeable where a lead water pipe crossed it. On its eastern face a row of sandstone blocks extended out from it. Due to its position on the projected line of the eastern defence circuit, in conjunction with its dimensions, it is considered this portion is the extant remains of the medieval town wall.

The fourth archaeological test trench, AT 04, was opened at the south end of Sarsfield Street, formerly known as Boat Street and renamed in 1798 as Duncan Street.  Extensive land remodelling has occurred at this location since the medieval period, with a Water Gate denoted in this vicinity on some of the earliest maps. Previous disturbance within this area was evident through the abundant amounts of modern backfill beneath the road; however a number of walls and a cobbled and stone surface managed to survive. The surviving wall remains were built off the surfaces. Although provenance was not established, it was considered these remains were of potential medieval date. Considering their location, is it possible they may be the remains of a quay, or landing area, associated with the aforementioned Water Gate pertaining to the medieval period?

AT05 was sited at the south end of Abbey Street on the projected southern circuit of the town wall. Unfortunately, the trench was totally dominated by a stone-built culvert.  This defunct culvert was picked up elsewhere on Abbey Street, having extended from the northern end of the street and terminating at the river.  No trace of a town wall was revealed in the trench.  The construction of the culvert may have used any stones from the town wall although the builders of the nearby five-storey stone warehouse built in 1842 may have also sourced the town wall for building stone.