2006:2019 - Burchall House (Burchall Asylum), Parnell Street, Waterford, Waterford

Testing was carried out as a condition of planning at Burchall House, Parnell Street, Waterford. Burchall Asylum was established under the will of Mrs Henrietta Burtchaell, dated 11 November 1822, who bequeathed the property to found an almshouse in the city for poor Protestants. The site is located within the zone of archaeological potential for Waterford city (WA009–005) but outside the walled historic core in an area that was marsh until the mid-17th century and was not significantly developed until the 19th century.
Following the demolition of an annexe to the rear of the building, two trenches were excavated at right angles to Parnell Street. Both trenches were c. 8m long by lm wide and were excavated to a depth of c. 1.5–1.8m when grey alluvial (natural) silt was reached. No finds or features of archaeological potential were recovered in the two test-trenches. All the evidence pointed to the reclamation (infilling) of the area from the mid-17th century, prior to which there had been an intractable marsh.