Habitation site in Nobber

Situated on a S and SE-facing slope. Archaeological testing (08E0949) by A. Hayden on the site of a new sports pitch (excavations.ie 2008:975) recorded a burnt mound, medieval property boundaries and the site of a holy well (Tobernamuc – the pig’s well) of which nothing survived. The excavation was continued with the same director and under the same licence in April and May 2009 (excavations.ie 2009: 658), although the details are not available and the precise location of features is not known. A NE-SW ditch (Wth 1.5m; D 1.5m) that drained to the SW (H 1m) was uncovered, which had been dug through the mound of the fulacht fia (ME006-071002-), but its SW end was cut by a medieval kiln. The ditch was filled with sterile light brown silt with lenses of sand but there was no evidence of an accompanying bank. No artefacts were recovered from the ditch although a charcoal sample from it returned a fourteenth century radiocarbon date. However, the ditch was closed by the time medieval occupation from the town extended over it. Portions of six properties extended NW-SE over the area were identified, running out at a low-lying wet area at SE. The properties were defined by shallow gullies from which pottery of local manufacture and of probable thirteenth to fifteenth century date was recovered. Two of the plots (Wth c. 10m) had cross-drains at their SE ends but the NW ends of all the properties probably fronted onto the lane (ME005-071022-)  identified in excavation within the town and these would have been within the urban area too. Only a small section of one plot was present at the E edge and the next plot had no features, but property No. 3 had a kiln at the N end that partially overlaid the house from plot No. 4. This plot had an oven and rake-out pits at its S end. Plot No. 4 was occupied by a large building aligned NW-SE that was constructed of clay-bonded stone, and which might have had a doorway at the E angle. The floor was a compacted clay and gravel mix, and a wooden partition divided it into two unequal rooms. Its S end was truncated by a large oven and its N end was cut by a kiln from plot No. 3. Plot No. 5 had a sunken area for a structure of some kind but it also had a keyhole-shaped kiln. Property No. 6 was aligned N-S down the S-facing slope at this point and although its W edge was not present it had three kilns at the S end, one with a wind-break and the N end of the plot was cut by later pits and disturbance.       Compiled by: Michael Moore