2016:202 - Shandon, Dungarvan, Waterford

Introduction

Shandon Housing Project, in Shandon, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford commenced in 1999. Construction works ceased at Shandon c. 2008 as a result of the economic downturn. The current phase of work, in the south-east portion of the site, which commenced in the last quarter of 2016, comprises the last phase of the Project. Planning permission was granted (planning reference number 38/06) to construct 98 houses, in this portion of the site. Testing was undertaken in November 2016.

Location

The development site is location in the townland of Shandon, captured in a bend of the Colligan River before it enters the Atlantic at Dungarvan Bay 2km further south. The site is located in an area that has been used extensively for limestone quarrying and two quarries are located to the north of the site. These two quarries are represented on the 1st ed OS map of 1841. North Quarry delimits part of the northern boundary of the current development. Shandon Cave Quarry is situated on the western banks of the Colligan River, to the south-east of the development site and immediately north of Shandon House and the site of a church (WA031-041).

Archaeological and Historical Background

Prior to the commencement of the housing development in Shandon five archaeological sites were known of in Shandon townland: a cave, an oval enclosure, a church, a ditch and Shandon House. Shandon Cave (WA031-068) was formerly located on the western bank of the Colligan River in Shandon Cave Quarry. The cave was the subject of antiquarian interest and investigation between 1859 and 1896 during which time the skeletal remains of extinct fauna – including mammoth, reindeer, wolf and bear – were recovered (Moore 1999, 56). It has since been destroyed by quarrying operations. The site of a church (WA031-041) is located in Shandon on the former demesne grounds of Shandon House. No trace of the church survives at present but the location is annotated ‘Site of Chapel’ on the 1st ed. OS map. Geomagnetic survey in the area of Shandon House in 2000 revealed a rectangular feature, measuring 9m by 20m, in the areas of the church site. The site of Shandon House is located in the south-east of the development site. The only surviving above-ground remains of this demesne house comprise gate pillars and a mound of rubble. The construction date of Shandon House is not known but it was described as “in a state of decay” by Charles Smith in 1745. During testing (Daniel Noonan 02E0809) a number of features relating to Shandon House were recorded but not excavated. A large sub-rectangular enclosure (c. 75m x 35m) was recorded and partially excavated in an earlier phase of the housing development at Shandon. The enclosure dates to the medieval period and maybe a Hiberno-Norse site (Elder et.al. 2008). The site of the enclosure (WA031-072, Fig. 2) has been largely preserved in an open area. The enclosure was defined by a ditch (5m wide), the north and west sections had been removed by quarrying in the past. Features were recorded in the interior of the enclosure and in two areas outside. The artefactual assemblages from the area of the enclosure represent activity spanning the 9th/10th century to the 12th/13th century.

Testing:

A programme of testing (Daniel Nonan 02E0809) was undertaken in this portion (south-east) of the site in 2002. However as the layout of the houses had not been agreed at that time the testing did not target all of the appropriate areas. A new phase of testing was undertaken on the footprint of the proposed house sites prior to the commencement of any ground disturbance works associated with the new phase of construction. A total of 20 test trenches were excavated. No archaeological features were recorded in Trenches 1-4. These test trenches were excavated in the area of the first row of house sites nos. 1-20 which comprise Phase 1 of the housing development. Features, including field ditches and furrows associated with agricultural activity were recorded in some of the test trenches. Features associated with the now demolished Shandon House and associated farm buildings and driveway were recorded in Trenches 7-8 and 18-20. The possible site of the church (WA031-041) was recorded in Trench 17.

No further archaeological work is recommended for Phase 1 (house sites 1-20) of the current phase of work at Shandon as no archaeological features were recorded in any of the test trenches in this area. Further work is recommended in the vicinity of Shandon House, which may have been built in the 17th century, and the site of the church (WA031-041).

Bibliography

Elder, S., Dennehy, E., Tierney, J., Noonan, D., & Doolan, A. 2008 Archaeological Excavation Report Shandon Dungarvan Co Waterford. Eachtra Journal Part 4 of 7, Issue 14. http://eachtra.ie/index.php/journal/00e0422-01e0327-02e0809-shandon-dungarvan-co-waterford/

Noonan, D. 2002. Archaeological Testing Report, Area 1 and Area 3, Shandon, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. Unpublished Eachtra Archaeological Projects Report.

Moore, M. 1999. Archaeological Inventory of County Waterford. The Stationary Office, Dublin.

Lickybeg, Clashmore, Co Waterford