2024:569 - Ballyliddan West, Sixmilebridge, Clare

Monitoring was undertaken during groundworks for the construction of a number of social housing units on a site at Ballyliddan West, Sixmilebridge, Co. Clare, on the south-eastern side of the junction of the R471 (Main Street) and R462 (Limerick Road) in the centre of the village.

Oyster shell, red brick, modern pottery and some fragmentary animal bone was observed in the topsoil in the central area of the site. A single sherd of likely 18th/19th-century pottery (glazed red earthenware) was noted in the area inside the stone wall at the north-western edge of the site. A single fragment of clay tobacco pipe bowl, likely dating to the 18th or 19th century, was observed in a modern soakage pit on the western side of the site and again its location was the result of modern disturbance.

When monitoring commenced in the northern portion of the site, it almost immediately became apparent that a cobbled surface lay under the topsoil at a depth of between 0.2m and 0.3m. The surface, which covered an area of approximately 21m by 12m, was fully exposed and discussions were held to see if the cobbled surface could in some way be incorporated into the layout of the new development. However it was not possible to preserve any of the cobbles in situ and full archaeological excavation was required, carried out under an extension to the existing monitoring licence.

The cobbles themselves were in the most part rough stone of varying sizes (maximum dimensions 0.2m by 0.3m). Different types of stone were used to create the cobbled surface: limestone, old red sandstone, shale, mudstone and small amounts of quartz, granite and conglomerate. Generally, the stones were laid on edge in a north to south orientation. There was no overarching pattern or design to the way the stone was laid out or to the placement of the different stone types or sizes. The exception to the haphazard construction of the cobbled surface were two lines of deliberately laid stones, both aligned west to east. The northern line of stone cobbles was composed of two rows of stones, similar to the surrounding cobbles except that the individual stones were laid in a west to east orientation. This ‘seam’ within the cobbled surface was 10.14m long and had a maximum width of 0.2m. The southern line of stones was also laid at right angles to the surrounding stones, but comprised larger mudstones laid in pairs running for 11.01m and was 0.4m at its widest. The cobbled surface was relatively level with only a variation of 0.1m across the entire area.

Three test slots were excavated into the cobbled area to better understand the stratigraphy and construction method of the cobbled surface and to ensure no archaeology was present beneath the stones. In each case silty material was encountered beneath the cobbles and above natural subsoil appeared to be levelling deposits laid to facilitate a flat cobbled surface. No drains or drainage features were evident under the cobbles. These layers contained pottery sherds, fragments of brick and clay tobacco pipe, largely 17th-18th century in date.

The cobbled surface lies within the area annotated on the first edition Ordnance Survey map, surveyed in 1839, as being part of the Fair Green. The 25” inch Ordnance Survey map surveyed in 1893 shows the area has been fenced and enclosed and is no longer part of the Fair Green.