Day 7 – “Wait”

We were all so delighted for the crew in Cutting B(eatles for Sale) as good things come to those who “wait”. The patience shown by Peter, Lennon and Eric in Cutting B(eatles for Sale) over the last few days, emptying out a very wet and heavy ditch fill, was finally rewarded today with their discovery of a rich cache of ceramic ridge tiles and slates from the collapsed roof of a medieval building. This is very strong evidence supporting the view that the upstanding structures are medieval. Penny has sampled this lower ditch fill today and we are looking forward to what it produces. We moved Sophie on from her slumber in Cutting C(an’t buy me love) and started digging. Veteran excavator Ed Lynch arrived from Sligo and together with Craig and Deirdre set a serious pace, exposing a wall and avenue surface with Alan and Andy at the other end of the Cutting. In Cutting A(bbey Road) our French contingent excavated the medieval layer whilst Tom and Sadhbh bottomed the Cutting in the northern end. Poor Billy got the short straw and had to make the tea for the day.  But he was lucky because Clare Tuffy had made her ‘Beaubec’ blackcurrant jam and banana bread (thank you Clare) and Kate Sweetman brought her sponge cake. Billy’s tea was a gastronomic delight and he was quick to take all the credit. We welcomed Hugh Matthews who diligently sieved medieval layers with Anelia, Elliott and Oliver and found animal bones pottery and shells. Matthew and Geraldine began surveying the gatehouse.

We had such a large and wonderful crew today, it was time for a group photo. Lined up in front of the ‘gatehouse’ are Alan, Tomás, Deirdre, Andy, Craig, Catriona, Ed, Peter, Lennon, Billy. In the front row are Sadhbh, Morgane, Cindy, Marie, Hugh, Oliver, Laura, Elliott, Geraldine and site mascot Sophie. Missing from the photograph are Matthew, Penny and Eric.

Ed Lynch from Sligo (but originally from Bettystown, Co. Meath, is a long time family friend of the McCullens. Here he is seen with Ann and Ruth. Ed’s super, bionic shovel is on the right.

Laura in her office assisting Catriona in processing the finds.

Co-director Matthew Stout surveying the ‘Gatehouse’. Because of the concentration of finds at the eastern end of Cutting B(eatles for sale) we are beginning to think that it might truly be a medieval building.

Ed Lynch is examining the lintel in the ‘gatehouse’. He believes it to be oak which opens up the possibility that it could be dated dendrochronologically.

All good things come to those who “wait”. Lennon and Peter (with Eric) uncovered slates and ridge tiles, the remains of a medieval roof, in the waterlogged layers in the eastern end of Cutting B(eatles for sale). All of a sudden, the attention shifted away from Cutting A(bbey road).

Hugh Matthews proudly displays the finds recovered from the sieving of the medieval layers from Cutting A(bbey Road).

Archaeology is not about hunting for treasure, but it is nice when you find such a wealth of medieval pottery, bone, shells and environmental evidence.

Just part of the beautiful French jug uncovered yesterday (Monday) in cutting A(bbey Road).

This brigade of French volunteers trowelled down to the undisturbed in the southern end of Cutting A(bbey Road).