County: Wexford Site name: Mulrankin
Sites and Monuments Record No.: WX047-031 Licence number: 13E0137
Author: Catherine McLoughlin
Site type: Medieval
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 699699m, N 610522m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.237400, -6.540270
Planning permission was granted for the erection of a single storey extension onto the side of a house at Mulrankin, Bridgetown, Co. Wexford. The building is a protected structure attached to Mulrankin Castle, a medieval tower -house (WX047-031).
Test trenches were excavated within the footprint of the extension and revealed large pits or ditches of late 12th/early 13th-century date with inclusions of locally produced medieval pottery and roof tile. Due to the finished floor level of the extension being over 1m higher than the level of the archaeological features it was possible to preserve the features in situ, after consultation with the National Monuments Service.
Monitoring was also undertaken of the creation of a new doorway by the breaking out of an existing window which had been inserted into the chimney stack. It is likely that the present house is a remodelling of a medieval hall and the chimney stacks were added around the mid-17th century. The house was further remodelled sometime after 1840.
Stafford McLoughlin Archaeology, Coolballow, Drinagh, Wexford.
