N7 Nenagh to Limerick High Quality Dual Carriageway Archaeological Resolution Project E3264, Castlecranna Site 1, Co. Tipperary (A026/384, 385, 388 & 393) Final Archaeological Excavation Report for Limerick County Council Margaret McNamara 25th May 2012 J06/15 (NGR 178585 172365 to 178775 172750) N7 Nenagh to Limerick High Quality Dual Carriageway Archaeological Resolution Project E3264, Castlecranna Site 1, Co. Tipperary (A026/384, 385, 388 & 393) Final Archaeological Excavation Report for Limerick County Council Margaret McNamara TVAS Ireland Ltd Job J06/15 25th May 2012 Summary Scheme name: N7 Nenagh to Limerick High Quality Dual Carriageway Scheme number: A026/000 Site name: E3264, Castlecranna Site 1, Co. Tipperary Scheme sub number: A026/384, 385, 388 & 393 Record number: E3264 & R65 Townland: Castlecranna Parish: Kilmastulla Barony: Owney and Arra County: Tipperary NGR: 178585 172365 to 178775 172750 OS 6” Sheet No: Co. Tipperary Sheet (NR) 026 Chainage: 20520 to 20960 Client: Limerick County Council, Mid West National Road Design Office, Lissanalta House, Dooradoyle Road, Dooradoyle, Co. Limerick Naturally occurring geology: Glacial till of varying compaction, composition and colour TVAS Ireland Job No: J06/15 Licence Eligible Director: Margaret McNamara Report author: Margaret McNamara Site activity: Excavation Site area: 6943.9 m2 Date of fieldwork: 23rd April to 25th June 2007 Date of report: 25th May 2012 Summary of results: Four areas were investigated (A-D). No archaeological features were identified in Areas A and B. Area C contained drains and possible furrows, pits and postholes. Area D had an early medieval sub- circular ditched enclosure with related internal and external features including trenches, possible structures, pits, posts and stakeholes. A medieval pit was also found within the bounds of the enclosure. Probable post-medieval/ modern features also occur, as well as many unphased features. Metal-detecting produced coins, buttons, shot and possible firearm pieces in addition to numerous undated metal objects. Monuments identified: Early medieval ditched enclosure and associated features, medieval pit, post-medieval/ modern features. Location and reference of archive: The primary records (written, drawn and photographic) are currently held at TVAS Ireland Ltd, Ahish, Ballinruan, Crusheen, Co. Clare. This report may be copied for bona fide research or planning purposes without the explicit permission of the copyright holder. Report edited/checked by: Kate Taylor& Nora Bermingham 01.03.2012 N7 Nenagh-Limerick HQDC, E3264, Castlecranna Site 1, Co. Tipperary N7 Nenagh to Limerick High Quality Dual Carriageway, E3264, Castlecranna Site 1, Co. Tipperary Final Archaeological Excavation Report Margaret McNamara Introduction This report documents the final results of an archaeological excavation (E3264) which yielded an early medieval ditched enclosure and related features, a medieval pit, post-medieval or modern features and many unphased features on the route of the N7 Nenagh to Limerick High Quality Dual Carriageway (HQDC), Castlecranna Site 1, Co. Tipperary (NGR 178585 172365 to 178775 172750) (Fig. 1). The excavation described here forms part of the N7 Nenagh to Limerick HQDC Archaeological Resolution Contract. A preliminary report has been produced for this site (McNamara 2009). The National Monuments Act 1930 (as amended) provides the legislative framework within which archaeological excavation can take place and the following government publications set out many of the procedures relating to planning/development and archaeology: Framework and Principles for the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage (DAHGI 1999a) Policy and Guidelines on Archaeological Excavation (DAHGI 1999b) Code of Practice between the National Roads Authority and the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (NRA/MAHGI 2001) The archaeological work was carried out following Ministerial Direction given under the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 2004. Project background The excavation was carried out on the route of the new N7 Nenagh to Limerick High Quality Dual Carriageway (HQDC). The scheme is 35.7 km long and starts at the existing Newport Junction, runs north-eastwards towards Nenagh (Carrigatogher) and continues to Ballintotty at the end of the Nenagh Bypass, which has been widened. Mitigation included archaeological assessment of previously recognised sites and prospection for new sites via mechanical test trenching. Archaeological sites uncovered during testing were subject to preservation by record, i.e. full archaeological excavation, funded by Limerick County Council via the National Roads Authority. Location, topography and geology The route of the new N7 Nenagh to Limerick HQDC traverses gently undulating lowland pasture broken only by a large area of peat basin that straddles the border between Counties Limerick and Tipperary. The region is overlooked by the Silvermines Mountains to the east and the Arra Mountains to the northwest. Castlecranna Site 1 (E3264), was located between NGR 178585 172365 and 178775 172750 in Castlecranna townland, in the parish of Kilmastulla within the barony of Owney and Arra, Co. Tipperary (Figs 1 and 2). The site was situated approximately mid-way between Nenagh town and Birdhill village, in Co. Tipperary. The River Shannon crossing-point of Killaloe-Ballina on the 3 N7 Nenagh-Limerick HQDC, E3264, Castlecranna Site 1, Co. Tipperary Tipperary / Clare border is located 8 km west of the site. Cranna House is located around 70 m west of the CPO close to the site. The present N7 is located to the west of the site, while third class roads run to the north-east and south-west. The site occupied relatively flat pasture land, between 54 m and 58 m Ordnance Datum (OD) in the Kilmastulla River Plain. The land here, grazed by cattle and sheep, slopes eastwards down to the river and the Limerick-Nenagh railway line. An area of former bog/marsh was located south-east of the site in the same townland, and also north of the site in the townland of Gortmore. The location had impressive views of the Silvermines to the south-east. Topsoil consisted of loose mid-brown silty clay with small stones (0.20-0.40 m deep) that overlay glacial till which varied in composition across the site. Archaeological and historical background Desk-based assessment comprised interrogation of documentary and cartographic sources including the Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) and the Record of Monuments and Places (RMP); the National Monument Service (NMS) website, www.archaeology.ie; the topographical files of the National Musuem of Ireland (NMI); the Excavations database www.excavations.ie and Bennett (1987- 2008) and records held by the County Tipperary Local Studies Centre, Thurles. Cartographic Sources Inspection of the Down Survey Barony map (1655-56) (Fig. 3) depicts the townland, known then as ‘Cranagh’, and the annotation ‘Crannagh pf part wood Unforfeited 243-0-0’. The 1st Edition Ordnance Survey (OS) 1843 (Fig. 4), shows an irregular shaped townland with plots of varying shapes and sizes with the largest in the eastern half of the townland. Castlecranna is crossed by two minor roads one of which links to the main Limerick-Nenagh road. Cranna House and estate dominate the townland in the north with various buildings including a police station and gate lodge that front onto the minor road in the west. There is a cluster of buildings located behind the police station and two possible settlements in the north-west and south of the townland. There are also buildings including possible dwellings fronting the second minor road. A small tributary of the Kilmastulla River runs through Castlecranna and was utilised as a mill stream serving a mill pond and flour mill situated at the river and stream junction. Later Griffith Valuation mapping (date uncertain) shows little change to the aforementioned map (www.askaboutireland.ie). A later edition of the OS (1901-02) shows some changes to plot layouts and building distribution. More angular, organised plots are depicted in the north-west and the possible settlement in this area is no longer shown. The police station, mill buildings and pond are not marked although the buildings are depicted. The mill buildings appear to have been re-used as Cranna creamery and a new building, a smithy is marked. Cranna House and gate lodge are shown with a much reduced landscaped area around the house. The area of bog is no longer depicted presumably due to reclamation. A sluice is located on the former mill stream and a bridge, Cranna Br. is marked. The townland name, Cranna Bridge and Kilmastulla River are shown on the modern OS Discovery map for the area. Some early modern structures (ID36 / P36) were located 189 m north-east of Castlecranna Site 1, on the townland boundary between Castlecranna and Gortmore. These included probable 19th-century structures (P36), including two single-storey dwellings, with a detached outbuilding and haggard. The 1901-2 OS map depicts an L-shaped structure which does not conform to the buildings shown on the earlier edition, indicating that the standing buildings were of no great antiquity. The structures were located within the road scheme and were recorded prior to demolition (O’Brien and Quinn 2006). Sites and Monuments Record/Record of Monuments and Places The Record of Monuments and Places (RMP) (Table 1) lists one monument, a possible castle site 4 N7 Nenagh-Limerick HQDC, E3264, Castlecranna Site 1, Co. Tipperary (TN026-035) within