Students from 4th Class of Buttevant Primary School viewed the site with their teacher Mary Linehan and teaching assistant Cora Nash. Here archaeologists Liza and Dave show them the remains of the cellar (Copyright Rubicon Heritage)
Excavating Medieval Buttevant: Some Archaeological Images
Rubicon Heritage are currently conducting a major medieval excavation in the town of Buttevant, Co. Cork. The dig is being carried out for Priority Construction on behalf of Cork County Council, and is part of a programme of resurfacing works on the town’s Main Street. The archaeology is revealing some key information about the settlement’s medieval past which will be of considerable importance to the town from a heritage perspective. The site has garnered coverage in both the Irish Examinerhere and on TG4 here. As works are ongoing there are many questions still to be answered, but with the discovery of the town wall and potential medieval cellars there is much to be excited about. The ‘star find’ is a gold posie ring inscribed with the initials ‘E G’ and the date of February 1713. We are keen to share details of the excavations with the local community, which has included delivering a talk on the works in Buttevant during Heritage Week and detailing the site to local school children. The dig will be fully reported on and published, but in the meantime we thought we would share some of the images with you!
The foundations of the medieval town wall of Buttevant uncovered during our excavations (Copyright Rubicon Heritage)
The array of cobbles, ditches and other archaeological features relating to medieval Buttevant being uncovered in the town (Copyright Rubicon Heritage)
Students from 4th Class of Buttevant Primary School viewed the site with their teacher Mary Linehan and teaching assistant Cora Nash. Here archaeologists Liza and Dave show them the remains of the cellar (Copyright Rubicon Heritage)
One of the more spectacular discoveries are these stairs leading to a cellar, which is either medieval or early post-medieval in date (Copyright Rubicon Heritage)
Although there have been relatively few finds thus far, one of the nicest was this gold posy ring. This image shows the year ‘1713’ inscribed inside it (Copyright Rubicon Heritage)
Another view of the cellar uncovered during the excavations at Buttevant (Copyright Rubicon Heritage)
Another shot of the posy ring showing the month of February (Copyright Rubicon Heritage)
A general view of excavation underway in Buttevant, with some of the town’s upstanding historic structures visible to the right (Copyright Rubicon Heritage)
Archaeologists Liza and Dave answering questions from students of 4th Class from Buttevant Primary School (Copyright Rubicon Heritage)
The Buttevant posy ring also bears the initials ‘E G’ on the interior (Copyright Rubicon Heritage)