2008:731 - Rathculliheen, Kilkenny

Kilkenny County Council sought testing as part of a further information request for a housing development in the townland of Rathculliheen. The site is located on the northern bank of the River Suir, north-east of Waterford city, set in undulating terrain which largely slopes from north to south-east and south-west comprising a low natural ridge rising to a maximum height of c. 40m OD. The site, comprising 7.8ha, is of irregular shape and is currently laid out in one large field with the ruined walled garden, and a now derelict dwelling house in the northern part of the site. Part of the western side of the site was covered by a spoil heap (stockpiled topsoil) removed from Phases 1–4 of the new housing development.
The existing landscape is more easily understood by reference to the mid-19th-century landscape as depicted in the first edition of the OS map of 1841. Newpark House was a late 18th-century mansion built by the Newports, a wealthy Waterford banking family. It was burnt in 1932 and subsequently demolished. Newpark House stood on the crest of the low ridge. The surrounding land was formerly parkland composed of five fields radiating from the south of the house, with the walled garden and possibly some farm buildings to the north. The parkland was extensively planted with trees. There were several areas of woodland and some isolated stands and specimen trees. One group of trees was planted in a tree-ring and this was considered a potential archaeological site. No trace of the tree-ring survives in the contemporary landscape therefore this area was subject to three test-trenches, as ringforts were sometimes utilised as convenient enclosures for tree-rings.
Following the loss of Newpark House in the 1930s the parkland was swept away for more intensive agricultural usage and the OS map of the mid-20th century showed no trace of the house. The walled gardens are still largely intact, but some walls have collapsed or are obscured by ivy. Three test-trenches were excavated within the walled garden.
No trace of the former tree-ring was apparent in the southern part of the site, although areas of darker topsoil in two trenches may be indicative of former differential use of the ground. The exact site of Newpark House was not recognisable and no in situ foundations, floors, basements, etc., were unearthed. The general location of the house was recognisable by concentrations of red brick, mortar and stone in the topsoil. Areas of backfilled soil with rubble were in places more than 1m in depth. Several discrete dumps of poorly fired (locally made?) brick were recorded in other areas.
Within the walled gardens the topsoil was very dark brown, with seashell and sand apparent in the soil. Seaweed and sea sand may have been added to the soil to improve fertility. Similarly coal and cinders may have been added as part of a former gardening regime. The only finds were 19th- and 20th-century chinaware, window and bottle glass.