2023:700 - Burgagery-Lands East, Tipperary

Two test trenches were opened as part of an archaeological appraisal of a site in Clonmel town centre in advance of the erection of a telecommunications monopole. Located on the grounds of the Eir Exchange building at Market Place, the site is just inside the eastern circuit of the medieval walled town, 5m from the projected line of the town defences. An examination of earlier maps indicated the area was occupied by buildings accessed by Constitution Lane from at least as early as the earlier decades of the nineteenth century. Such buildings were likely to have been built following the demise of the medieval town defences in the eighteenth century. The area underwent major alterations in the late 1950s/1960s when a large Telecommunications Exchange building with car-parking was constructed.

Both test trenches were dominated by a deposition of demolition/building rubble to a depth of c. 600-650mm below ground level (bgl). Mixed infill/deposits occurred beneath the demolition layer and extended to depths of c. 1.1m. Within these mixed deposits were frequent pebble and small stone inclusions, small pieces of fragmented slate, red brick, mortar, clay pipe bowl, a sherd of glazed brownware pottery and animal bone, some of which was butchered. A trial hole was opened in Trench No. 1 to determine the depth of an exposed wall. Within this trial hole a redeposited natural soil occurred at a depth of 1.1m bgl, 300mm/350mm deep and sealed a very dark grey-brown silty clay. This silty clay was at least 300mm thick and extended to the base of the trial hole. Containing flecks of charcoal, very small pieces of fragmented slate and a clay pipe stem, it appeared to be that of a buried garden soil. A similar deposit was found at the base of Trench No.2.

The remains of two mortared walls were sealed beneath the demolition/rubble layer, both of which had been damaged. The first wall had been truncated at is northern end by the laying of foundations for the Eir Exchange building, a large structure that extends to a height of c. 12m. The second wall, which was exposed in the east section of Trench No.1, had also been damaged, possibly again from the time of constructing the Eir Exchange building. The walls, probably no earlier than the eighteenth century, are likely to be associated with buildings which formerly stood on the site and demolished to accommodate the Eir Exchange building.

The better-preserved wall, which extended to a depth of 1.56m bgl, was built off a foundation plinth which had small stones at its base. Its base and west face were exposed in a trial hole within Trench No.1. The remains of a second wall were exposed in the east end of Trench No.1, extending beneath both the east and south baulks. Of rough construction, this wall was built off moderately compact sand. A trial hole was opened to investigate the provenance of this sand. Extending for at least a depth of 1.35m and of very clean/sterile composition, this sand was considered to be of natural origin.

With the exception of two trial holes within Trench No.1, test excavations did not go below the 1.25m bgl due to health and safety requirements. Of the two trial holes excavated, one was opened to determine the provenance of a sand deposit whilst the other was to establish the depth of a wall. In addition to determining the depth of the wall, a redeposited soil was uncovered, sealing at a depth of 1.4m bgl, a very dark grey-brown silty clay which was of likely post-medieval date or later. No earlier deposits or remains were exposed in the course of the test trenching.