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AR01055_EMAP_Gazetteer_of_Sites_4-2_10.pdf - The Heritage ...

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Clare<br />

Clonmoney West, Co. Clare<br />

Early Medieval Settlement Enclosure<br />

Grid Ref: R43106231 (143104/162317)<br />

SMR No: N/A<br />

Excavation Licence: 01E0242<br />

Excavation Duration/Year: March-April 2001<br />

Site Director: D. Murphy (ACS Limited)<br />

Topsoil stripping on a promontory overlooking the River Shannon in the townland <strong>of</strong><br />

Clonmoney West in advance <strong>of</strong> road works revealed evidence for a fourth- to seventh-century<br />

deposit, an early/late medieval stone wall, two post-medieval field walls and undated burnt<br />

spreads.<br />

<strong>The</strong> stone wall stretched along the northern side <strong>of</strong> the site for a length <strong>of</strong> 30m and had an<br />

average width <strong>of</strong> 2.2m. <strong>The</strong> wall overlay a silty-clay deposit containing charcoal, animal bone<br />

and cremated bone. An eighth/ninth-century copper-alloy ring-pin and a polished stone axe<br />

flake were recovered from the deposit, and radiocarbon dates from charcoal from this deposit<br />

fell to the fourth and fifth century (see below). It could not be clearly established if the stone<br />

wall was contemporary with this deposit. An incised rotary quernstone fragment, a ro<strong>of</strong> tile,<br />

an Anglo-Norman ‘Edward III’ coin and a whetstone were recovered from the wall. Some <strong>of</strong><br />

these finds are medieval in date and indicate that the wall could have been possibly<br />

constructed or repaired in this period.<br />

Linear features in the adjacent field may represent part <strong>of</strong> a settlement enclosure. <strong>The</strong><br />

character <strong>of</strong> the finds from the stone wall and the underlying deposit suggests that these<br />

features may have had a domestic function. A number <strong>of</strong> hearths, pits, drainage ditches,<br />

spreads, post- and stakeholes were also excavated close by in the same townland and<br />

produced thirteenth to sixteenth century radiocarbon dates confirming late medieval activity<br />

in this area.<br />

Two spreads containing oxidized clay, small stones and charcoal were uncovered to the south<br />

<strong>of</strong> the post-medieval walls, overlying the natural boulder clay. <strong>The</strong> spreads do not appear to<br />

have been related to the post-medieval walls and may represent areas <strong>of</strong> burning.<br />

A small quantity <strong>of</strong> animal bone fragments were recovered from the early medieval deposit<br />

and overlying stone wall and comprised bone from cattle, sheep/goat, pig and horse with<br />

some limited evidence for butchery marks.<br />

(No plan was available for this site).<br />

Radiocarbon Dates:<br />

(PJ Reimer, MGL Baillie, E Bard, A Bayliss, JW Beck, C Bertrand, PG Blackwell, CE Buck, G Burr, KB Cutler, PE Damon,<br />

RL Edwards, RG Fairbanks, M Friedrich, TP Guilderson, KA Hughen, B Kromer, FG McCormac, S Manning, C Bronk<br />

Ramsey, RW Reimer, S Remmele, JR Southon, M Stuiver, S Talamo, FW Taylor, J van der Plicht, and CE<br />

Weyhenmeyer (2004), Radiocarbon 46:1029-1058).<br />

Sample No. Context<br />

Beta-161999 Charcoal from silty brown<br />

deposit underlying stone wall<br />

14 C Date Cal. 2 Σ<br />

1590±60 BP A.D. 337-602<br />

Reference:<br />

Murphy, D. & O’Neill, T. 2001. N18/N19 Ballycasey to Dromoland Road Improvement Scheme<br />

Contract No. 2. Final Report on Archaeological Excavation <strong>of</strong> AR42A (Clonmoney West<br />

townland). Unpublished report submitted to DoEHLG.<br />

91

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