County: Wexford Site name: Fethard Castle
Sites and Monuments Record No.: WX050-011003 Licence number: E005324
Author: Colm Moriarty
Site type: Castle
Period/Dating: Late Medieval (AD 1100-AD 1599)
ITM: E 679308m, N 605255m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.193376, -6.839988
Archaeological monitoring of conservation works was undertaken at Fethard castle, Co. Wexford in October and November 2022. The repairs were carried out under a Ministerial Consent (Reference No. C001044; E005324) and were funded by the National Monuments Service's Community Monuments Fund Scheme (Reference: CMF22-1-WX002). A complex, multi-phase site, the castle is a National Monument (RMP Nos. WX050-011003 & WX50-11010) and a Protected Structure (WCC0870). The upstanding building presents as an L-shaped structure, with a circular tower at the south-west angle. The main structure is an east-west orientated hall, with a gatehouse at its eastern end that predates the castle. A wing then extends northwards from the western end of the main hall.
This was the second phase of repairs at the site as part of the Community Monuments Fund. In summary, the works to stabilise and conserve the castle involved flaunching wall-tops, filling in masonry voids, tying in free-standing masonry elements, repairing window opes and re-pointing degraded mortar joints. This work was concentrated on the central hall section of the castle and the gatehouse.
The repairs were archaeologically supervised to ensure that original features were retained. The removal of vegetation, loose mortar and earth was also monitored and particular consideration was given to the possibility that small finds may have been concealed behind masonry or in crevices. However, no archaeological artefacts were identified during the course of the works. It should be noted that no sub-surface excavation occurred at the site.
The Hill, The Leap, Davidstown, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford
