2006:1853 - DOLLA: Kilboy House, Tipperary

Monitoring was carried out at Kilboy House, Dolla, Silvermines, Co. Tipperary. Originally built in the mid- to late 18th century, Kilboy House was burnt and rebuilt in 1922 and demolished c. 1955. A single-storey house in a vaguely Georgian style was built on the original basement. Permission has been granted for the removal of the modern structure and the rebuilding of the house in period style with the retention of original Georgian fabric.

Investigations were focused on establishing and recording the nature and extent of any potential archaeological features associated with a possible medieval castle recorded at the site, as identified in the RMP for North Tipperary.

In advance of development works, GSB Prospection Ltd were engaged to carry out a geophysical survey to the north, east and south of the house (06R0117). Primarily the survey was concerned with the identification of tunnels or voids associated with the Georgian house and traditionally thought to be located in the immediate area. A total of fifteen potential voids were identified, with two corresponding to known features: an ‘ice house’ or water tank on the south side of the house and a cesspit to the north. The report concluded that the voids were a mixture of both man-made and natural cavities.

In addition, the geophysical survey identified a curvilinear feature consisting of two subcircular responses aligned parallel, one inside the other, and largely encircling the house. Based purely on the data, the feature was interpreted as a road/pathway related to an earlier house on the site. The main response was from a stone outline delineating the edges of the feature.

Limited test excavation confirmed the nature of the feature as a substantial earthwork enclosure with a potential internal diameter of c. 60m. Two test-trenches were opened transversely across the feature and c. 0.4m of topsoil was removed to reveal ditches measuring between 1.9m and 2.45m in width, between 2m and 4.5m apart, delineated along the edges by deposits of shattered limestone, evidence that the double ditch enclosure was quarried into the underlying bedrock. A slot-trench was excavated across the width of the outer ditch, which measured 1.18m deep. The ditch had a vertical inner face and a sloping outer face. No obvious weathering was recorded and the ditch fills (collapsed bank material) were almost sterile, with only occasional flecks of charcoal present. The evidence suggested that the enclosure might have been constructed and decommissioned within a short period of time. Possible remnant bank material was evident in the form of upcast shattered bedrock, visible spread around the eastern side of the enclosure. The degree to which extensive landscaping, known to have taken place to the east and south of the house, has disturbed the enclosure or any associated internal features or settlement evidence is unknown. No artefacts were recovered from the ditch fills and a date for the enclosure could not be established.

Following minimal topsoil removal (0.15–0.25m) the area to the east and south of the house was covered with a geo-textile membrane prior to the introduction of c. 0.5m of stone and aggregate. There will be no further impact on these subsurface archaeological features during the course of works at the house.

Extensive assessment of the fabric of the Georgian basement of the house, following the removal of external and internal render and wall coverings, revealed no remains of an earlier stone structure on the site.

Monitoring of various groundworks associated with the development will continue in early 2007.

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