Ecclesiastical enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

Higgins report (1992) on his investigations (Licence No. 92E0160) along a 2m-wide trench excavated as part of the Tuam main drainage scheme ‘produced evidence of a cobbled surface or surfaces over an area of several hundred sq. m. It was cut across in places by a late stone-lined field drain and the 19th-century garden plot to the rear of houses in Vicar St had destroyed some of the cobbling. The cobbled surface had been parched in some places and dug into in others and extended both within and without a thick cashel-like wall which had been substantially robbed out. This enclosing feature had been reduced to a mound of earth and small stones on which only a short segment of the outer facing of large stones survived. The facing was, however, discernible in the field to either side of the excavated area. This large enclosing wall had been robbed out in the late medieval or post-medieval period. The cobbled surface post-dated the robbed out enclosure.’ The cashel-like wall was interpreted as an ‘arc of what was presumed to be an Early Christian ecclesiastical enclosure running from the grounds of the Cathedral in the direction of Tuam Mart . . .’

The coordinates for this enclosure are based on the above descriptive account and can only be considered as indicative of the location.

Compiled by: Paul Walsh

Date of upload: 27 March 2017

References

Higgins, J. 1992 'The Clareen', Townparks, Tuam. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 1992: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland. Bray. Wordwell, 32-3, No. 96.