ROTHE HOUSE
(click to enlarge)

Erected in 1594 by John Rothe, a wealthy city merchant, and his wife, Rose Archer.

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Page created February 2004

Report on archaeological excavations at Rothe House, Kilkenny.

For Kilkenny Archaeological Society. April 1991.
By Andrew Halpin. M.A., M.O.I.A.

1.1 INTRODUCTION
In March 1991 Archaeological Development Services Ltd. carried out a short archaeological excavation on behalf of the Kilkenny Archaeologica1 Society, at Rothe House, Parliament Street, Kilkenny. (townland: Kilkenny Urban District: National Grid Reference: 251157: see location Figure 1: map after John Bradley.)

The site of the excavation was the third, or westernmost house in the Rothe House complex, which is currently being restored by the Society. The insertion of a new floor with damp course necessitated the excavation of the floor area of the house to a depth of c.45cm below present ground level. Unfortunately this was commenced without archaeological supervision and approximately 50% of the floor area removed (see Figure 2: Plan after Colm O Cochlain) before the Office of Public Works, having been alerted to the matter, insisted that proper archaeological investigation take place. Archaeological Development Services were accordingly engaged by the Kilkenny Archaeological Society to undertake this investigation, the aims of which were to assess the archaeological potential of the surviving floor area. On the basis of this assessment a decision could be made in consultation with the Office of Public Works regarding the removal of the remainder of the floor area.

The method of assessment employed was the excavation by hand of three areas, in the west, south-west and north-east sectors respectively, within the house (Figure 2). A further area, the base of a much-altered garderobe chute in the south-east angle of the house, was also briefly investigated. Taken together, the area excavated amounts to a total of c.21 square metres, representing approximately 45% of the surviving floor area.

2.1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The history of Rothe House is well documented in recent publications and need only be sketched in here. The house was built by John Rothe, a wealthy Kilkenny merchant who died in 1620, but it is generally accepted that the entire complex of buildings was not erected in one operation. A heraldic shield bearing the arms and initials of John Rothe and the date 1594 seems to indicate the date of the construction of the first, or easternmost house on the Parliament Street frontage, on which the shield is displayed. The second, or central house, is thought to be of later date than the first, although no suggestions as to the precise date of its construction seem to have been made in the recent literature. It has, however, been suggested (Lanigan n,d., 8. 19) that a further heraldic slab bearing the arms and initials of John Rothe and his wife. Rose Archer, and the date 1610, now mounted in the southern wall of the courtyard between the second and third houses, originally belonged to the third house and indicates the date of its construction.

The third house would certainly seem to be of more recent date than the other two, as it is referred to in John Rothe's will of 1619 as "the new house or building next my garden", whereas the first and second houses are referred to as "the forestreet building" and "the middle cross house or building", respectively. Thus a date of 1610 for the construction of the third house is by no means improbable.

Rothe's will also provides some information on the function of the third house. It refers to "the great kitchen". the "gyle (brew) house" and the "kyll" (kiln?) located in the third house, and which were after his death to be available to be used both by his son and family, living in the first house, and his widow living in the second house (Healy 1893. 384). The extremely large stone fireplace which still survives. although much altered, in the south wall of, the third house, is clearly part of the "great kitchen" referred to by Rothe. However two fine cut stone fireplaces on the first floor, and a multiple garderobe at attic level above indicate that the house was also intended to be used as a residence by some members of the family.

2.2 RESEARCH DESIGN
The primary purpose of the excavation, as outlined above, was to assess the nature of the floor material which was to be removed in the course of restoration work. A particular concern was to establish whether any of the original flooring of the house, or even any indications of the nature of this flooring, survived. This could be most efficiently done by opening a number of small cuttings at selected points within the house (see Figure 2).

However, the selection of these areas was severely constrained, not only by the fact that approximately 50% of the floor area had already been removed, but also by the presence of large mounds of loose stones, sand and gravel for use by the builders, over much of what remained. Thus the location of the first cutting (Cutting 1), was decided principally on the grounds that it was at that stage the only area of undisturbed floor available for excavation.

At a later stage, however, it was possible to select and open two further cuttings (Cuttings 2 and 3) in order to investigate two possibly original floor surfaces, an area of flagstones in the south-west corner and an area of cobbling in the north-east corner. Although it was highly desirable to excavate beneath the flagged floor of the great fireplace in the south wall, this was not possible because of the presence of several props supporting loose masonry above.

A further issue which emerged during the course of the excavation concerned the garderobe shaft in the south-east angle of the walls. Because of extensive later alterations this had not until quite recently been recognised for what it was, and it had consequently received little attention in the restoration plans. In order to facilitate proper restoration of this important feature of the house, the base of the shaft was also partly excavated (Cutting 4) in order to locate the drainage outlet and to determine the location of the original west wall of the shaft which had been demolished.

3.1 THE EXCAVATION: DESCRIPTION OF RESULTS.
In this section the excavation of the four cuttings opened will be described separately: the results will be drawn together in the Conclusions (3.2) below.

Cutting 1 (Figure 3 (left) Plan of cuttings 1 & 2 after removal of rubble, showing paving and metalled surface F2. (Figure 4 (right) Plan of cuttings 1 & 2 after excavation, showing pits F12 & F25)
The first cutting opened was located along the west wall of the house, immediately south of the central doorway, and measured 3.lm (north-south) by 1.75m (east-west).

After c.l0cm of mixed, loose rubble [F 1] had been removed a rough metalled surface [F 2], formed of small and irregular water-rolled pebbles in a lime mortar matrix. was revealed, covering most of the cutting apart from the area immediately adjacent to the west wallface. The metalled surface was 10-15cm thick in general and included many red brick chips, pockets of ash, charcoal flecking and other occupational debris. In the south-east corner of the cutting, however, the layer was up to 25cm in thickness, clearly in order to level up a pre-existing depression. The presence of this depression gave rise to the accumulation of a more complex stratigraphy in the southern part of the cutting than elsewhere. Over the remainder of the cutting the metalled surface [F 2] was underlain by a mixed brown loam with significant inclusions of occupation debris including plaster, red brick, mortar, iron slag and pottery [F 3]. This layer, which was c.5cm in thickness generally, though up to 15cm in thickness in places, lay directly on undisturbed natural sandy gravel [F 5].

In the area of the depression in the south-east corner of the cutting, an extra layer intervened between F 2 and F 3. This was a loose sandy loam with a lot of slag, red brick, mortar and other inclusions [F 4], and was 5-6cm in thickness. Underneath F 4 was a deep layer of grey sand/gravel aggregate [F 12] which, on excavation proved to be the fill of a large pit - the cause of the depression in this area. The pit was excavated to a depth of c.1.0m, but not fully bottomed. It appeared to have an almost circular outline, although only approximately one quadrant was excavated, suggesting a total diameter of c.2.6m. The sides were almost vertical and the fill was mainly redeposited sand/gravel, though with occasional pockets of slate and other material.

The sides of the pit seemed to be extending as far as, and even under, the west wall of the house, but it was not possible to verify this for fear of undermining the wall foundations. Immediately inside the wall at this point was a small trench [F 9], c.70cm in length, up to 15cm in width and up to 20cm in depth, filled with a decayed timber: its function is unknown. East of this was a small setting of stones [F 6], perhaps part of a crude pavement. Both F 6 and F 9 were cut into an orange-brown loam [F 7], probably a continuation of F 3. Beneath F 7 was a patch of decayed lime mortar or plaster [F 8], which in turn was underlain by sand/gravel, almost certainly part of the fill of the large pit.

With the exception of the pit which appears to underlie the wall of the house and should therefore be earlier than it, almost all of the excavated material above undisturbed natural contained pottery, brick or other material indicating a relatively modern date. Nothing that could be seen as part of the original floor was found. It is difficult to be sure what the level of the original floor was, but the base of the dressed jamb of the adjacent doorway is probably the best indication. This suggests that the original floor was at, or slightly below the level of the metalled surface, F 2, which is clearly modern. Thus the indications are that the original flooring material has been completely removed.

Cutting 2 (Figures 3 and 4):
A second cutting was opened in the extreme south-west corner of the house, in order to investigate whether an area of flagstone paving along the south side of the house was original, or if it preserved original material underneath. The cutting measured 1.1m north-south and 1.05m east-west.

The paving [F 21] consisted of large and medium-sized limestone flags, roughly dressed and set in a band 55-60cm in width immediately inside the walls in the south-west angle of the house (see Plate 1, left). Inside (i.e.north and east of) this paving the floor surface was a layer of compacted, and very mixed gritty loam [F 20], up to 17cm in depth. It contained large amounts of modern pottery and glass and must be of very recent (i.e. late 19th/early 20th century) date. Beneath F 20 was a thin (2-4cm) layer of light sandy loam. with frequent red brick chips and pockets of decayed plaster or mortar [F 22].

On removal of F 20, F 22 and a number of the flagstones of F 21, it was found that all rested on the same underlying stratigraphy. Along the eastern side of the cutting was a layer, possibly a prepared surface, of rough, light brown mortar [F 23], 5-10cm in depth. This ended in a roughly straight north-south line, 1.05m east of the west wall of the house. To the west of this line the paving [F 21] and floor [F 20/F 22] lay directly on apparently undisturbed natural sand/gravel [F 24], which also underlay F 23 to the east.

Along the south wall of the house, however, and extending under F23 on the east, was a patch of loose, brown sandy loam [F 25] which, on excavation, proved to be the fill of another pit cut into the sand/gravel. The pit was apparently circular in outline, with a diameter of c.1.0m and a depth of c.50cm, but approximately half of it seemed to extend under the south wall of the house. It was thus clearly earlier than the house, like the pit in Cutting 1. The fill of the pit was rich in well-preserved animal bone and oyster shells. At one point, north-east of pit F 25, a possible edge between looser, greyer gravel immediately around F 25 and more compact, browner gravel was noted, suggesting that F 25 may have been part of a much larger pit (on the same scale as the pit in Cutting 1), filled for the most part with redeposited gravel. However, no consistent distinction could be found elsewhere between presumed redeposited gravel and undisturbed natural gravel, so that the presence of a larger pit could not be confirmed.

On the basis of the results in Cutting 2, the question of the date of the flagstone paving at the south end of the house cannot definitively be answered. Much of the paving lay directly on undisturbed natural [F 24] or on pit F 25 which predates the house: the remainder lay on F 23, for which no dating evidence was found. On this basis there is nothing to prevent one arguing that the paving is original, contemporary with the construction of the house. On the other hand, however, the floor surface F 20 which is apparently associated with the paving and also rests directly on F 24, F 25 and F23 is clearly of very recent date - suggesting that the paving should be also.

Cutting 3 (Figure 5):
A third cutting was opened in the north-east corner of the house in order to investigate a cobbled surface which was visible underneath a modern concrete floor, partly removed by the builders. This cutting measured 3.5m north-south and 3.25m east-west.

After the concrete floor and c.20-25cm of underlying rubble had been completely removed, approximately 75% of the area of the cutting was found to be covered by the cobbled surface noted earlier [F 31]. In fact F 31 was a mixture of cobbling, made of medium-sized (c.10-20cm), water-rolled limestone pebbles, and patches of crude paving, formed of irregular and unshaped limestone slabs (Figure 5a: Cutting 3 showing cobbled surface F31). The cobbling was similar in form to that in the open courtyard to the east, between the third and second houses. On removal of F 31, a very mixed deposit of soil, mortar, stones, brick fragments and other material, including pottery and glass of probable 19th century date [F 32], was found to underlie the cobbled surface.

Upon excavation, F 32 was found to be considerably deeper (c.30-40cm) at the southern end of the cutting than to the north, where it was no more than c.15-20cm in depth. The reason for this difference became evident when F 32 was removed (Figure 5b: Cutting 3 showing brick floor and forge F25). To the north, F 32 lay directly on undisturbed natural sand/gravel, but underlying F 32 at the southern end of the cutting was a floor of red brick (F 34]. On the west side of the floor was the base of an oven- or furnace-like structure, possibly a blacksmith's forge [F 35]. Both F 34 and F 35 were set into a large, shallow pit [F 33] cut into the natural sand/gravel. The deep deposit of F 32 at this end of the cutting was filling this pit. The pit itself was of irregular shape, measuring up to 3.4m east-west from the east wall of the house, and up to 2.5m north-south (although narrowing to c.1.0m north-south at the west end).

The area of flooring [F 34] in the pit measured 1.25m east-west and 1.08m north-south, although it may originally have been more extensive, especially on the south and east. The red bricks of which it was formed were almost square in shape, the sides being 12cm in length. They were laid in straight rows and set in mortar. To the north, the floor was bounded by two large, reused dressed limestone blocks set against the side of the containing pit [F 33]. On the west was the funnel-shaped opening of the forge or furnace, F 35.

F 35 consisted of a roughly square area, 44cm north-south and 42cm east-west, walled with a combination of reused dressed limestone blocks and red bricks, no more than c.40cm in height, and set into the pit F 33. On excavation F 35 proved to be floored with red brick in exactly the same manner as F 34 to the east. The opening, on the east, was 32cm in width and flanked by two reused dressed limestone jambs. Outside this was a funnel-shaped area defined by a limestone block to the south and red brick walling to the north. When first exposed, F 35 was filled with and covered by a deposit of red brick rubble, mortar, stone and slate. Some or all of this may have been the remains of an original roof but this cannot be demonstrated with confidence as no trace of a roof survived. It was noteworthy that a very large limestone slab, shattered most probably by heat, lay almost directly over the furnace area of F 35 at the level of the cobbled surface F 31. However, since the backfill layer F 32 intervened between this slab and the rubble filling the furnace area, there is apparently no direct connection between the two.

Part of an original charge was found within the furnace when the rubble was removed. This consisted predominantly of ash and cinders, with frequent lumps of coal and several pieces of some form of dross or metalworking detritus.

Whatever its function, F 35 represents the earliest of three distinct phases of activity at this end of the house. After F 35 had ceased to be used the pit in which it was located [F 33] was backfilled with rubble [F 32]. This was probably done in order to provide a level base for the cobbled surface [F 31], which was subsequently laid down over the entire area. At a later date this in turn was buried under a layer of rubble over which the concrete floor was laid.

It is not possible to state what period of time is covered by these three phases of activity. The latest phase (the concrete floor) relates to the presence, within living memory, of a lean-to shed within the north end of the house. The pottery and glass found in the rubble layer F 32 under the cobbled surface F 31 indicate that this phase is of 19th century date at the earliest. However, no datable material was found in association with F35 apart from the red bricks used in its construction. These at least indicate that F 35 is not an original feature of the house - as is also indicated by its siting in a pit, probably at least 30cm below the original floor level. F 35 is clearly a later insertion, but how much later could not be determined.

Cutting 4 (Figure 6):
A limited amount of excavation was undertaken at the base of the garderobe shaft in the south-east angle of the house walls. This shaft, which is located immediately east of the great fireplace in the south wall, serviced a number of garderobes, or latrines, located in a small chamber immediately above the shaft at attic level. At present three openings for garderobes are visible at the base of the walls of this chamber, with small chutes running down through the thickness of the walls to carry discharges into the main shaft. However, from within the shaft itself there appear to be at least five. and possibly six chutes empty into it c.4-6m above ground level.

At some date subsequent to the building of the house the garderobe shaft was extensively altered, in conjunction with the remodelling of the great fireplace. This was clearly done at a time when the garderobes above were no longer in use, because the base of the shaft was apparently converted into a closet of some kind. The fireplace was reduced in width by the insertion of a new east wall, c.1.2m west of the original; the original east wall, which separated the fireplace from the garderobe shaft, was then demolished for c.2m above ground level, thus enlarging the area of the shaft. Further enlargement was achieved by gouging out the facing masonry of the south and east walls of the shaft, leaving an area of c.2.6m (east-west) by c.1.2m (north-south) instead of the original c.0.6m (east-west) by c.0.85m (north-south). Crude sockets for small beams inserted into the north and south walls at c.2m above ground level indicate that the new closet was provided with a ceiling, while access was provided by a lintelled opening broken through the north wall of the shaft. A crude rectangular slit window was inserted in the east wall to light the closet.

The excavation of the base of the shaft in reality amounted to little more than the removal of overlying rubble. When all loose material had been cleared, most of the area was found to be covered by a hard surface of compacted soil and decayed mortar, c.5cm in depth. On removing most of this layer, the main questions being asked were quickly answered. The original wall footings of the gouged-out south and east walls, and traces of the footings of the demolished west wall, were revealed. This demonstrated that the original internal area of the base of the shaft was a mere c.58cm by 86cm. A rectangular drainage channel or box-drain, in limestone masonry and open-topped, was discovered in the floor at the centre of this original base area. Most of the rubble with which it was filled was removed, revealing a structure c.34-44cm in width and c.25-30cm in depth. The drain was running northwards, presumably under the original north wall of the shaft (now broken through for the later entranceway), but time did not permit the drain to be followed and excavated to its full extent.

3.2 CONCLUSIONS.
The principle conclusion to be drawn from the results of the excavation seems to be that the original floor of the house no longer survives. With the possible exception of the area of flagstone paving around the fireplace at the south end of the house, no trace of anything that could have formed part of the original floor was encountered in any of the cuttings excavated. Even the flagstone paving, while it may possibly be original, is most likely to be considerably later in date than the house itself. All other features encountered were either later or earlier than the original construction of the house. This conclusion is supported by the evidence of the large amounts of pottery and glass collected by the builders during their removal of approximately 50% of the interior floor space; all the material collected by them is of recent (l9th-20th century) date.

Several prepared surfaces, whether metalled, cobbled or paved, were found in the excavation - in Cutting 3, indeed three successive surfaces of activity were found one above the other. These surfaces point to considerable later activity in the house, which is also reflected in the extensive remodelling visible in the fabric of the building prior to the commencement of restoration work. It seems clear that all of this later activity resulted in the complete removal of the original floor. In fact, many of these later surfaces were laid down at levels almost certainly below the level of the original floor. It is not possible at this point even to speculate on the nature of this floor.

The discovery of two pits predating the construction of the house is interesting, although the pits themselves produced little of note. They cannot even be dated, a date between the construction of the first and third houses, c.1594-1610, is of course a distinct possibility, but they could be much earlier than this. However, the fact that the only early (i.e contemporary with, or earlier than, the house) features discovered were pits tends to confirm that the original surface has been removed, leaving only those features cut deep into the undisturbed natural sand/gravel.

4.1 RECOMMENDATIONS.
1. In view of the results presented above, further excavation of the floor area of the house is unlikely to produce much of archaeological significance, and therefore is not recommended. However, it is, recommended that any further removal of material from the floor area be done under archaeological supervision.

2. The remainder of the drain or outlet channel of the garderobe, in the south-east corner of the house, needs to be excavated, either by an archaeologist or under archaeological supervision. This could be done in conjunction with the supervision of the floor removal outlined in 4.1.1 above.

3. In the interests of faithful restoration of the house, it is recommended that the garderobe and shaft in the south-east angle of the house walls be restored to its original form. This would involve the reinstatement to their original thickness of the south and east walls of the shaft at ground floor level and the rebuilding of the west wall of the shaft in its original location. The lintelled opening in the north wall of the shaft (ground floor), while not an original feature, could perhaps be retained in order to allow visitors to view the shaft, the garderobe chutes above and the outlet drain below.

4. It should also be noted that the west wall of the garderobe shaft, the rebuilding of which is recommended in 4.1.3 above, was also the east wall of the original great fireplace. Thus restoration of the garderobe shaft would also facilitate the restoration of the fireplace to its original form and permit the removal of the secondary walling inserted in the east side of the fireplace in order to reduce its size. As one of the most important features of the house - if not the most important feature - the restoration of the fireplace to its original form is very much to be desired.

5.1 REFERENCES.
HEALY. W. 1893. History and antiquities of Kilkenny (county and city), Vol. 1, Kilkenny, M Egan.
LANIGAN, K.M. n.d. Rothe House, Kilkenny. Pamphlet published by Kilkenny Archaeological Society, undated.

REPORT ON ANIMAL BONE ASSEMBLAGE FROM PIT F 25.
(Analysed by Mr Eoin Halpin. M.O.I.A.)

A total of 37 bone fragments were recovered from the fill of pit F 25 in Cutting 2, in the south-west corner of the house. While the pit cannot be dated, it is known to predate the construction of the house in c.1610. Slight differences in the state of preservation of the bone suggested to the analyst that the assemblage may have come from more than one context, or that the context was disturbed. However, no trace of such disturbance was noted during excavations, although it must be stressed that the pit was excavated in poor lighting conditions.

Of the 37 fragments, only 16 (43%) were identifiable: the results are presented in the Table below. In addition to these figures it might be added that several cranial fragments included as unidentifiable are likely to be of sus (pig) The range of animals represented - cattle. sheep/goat, pig, deer and bird - is not unusual for the medieval/post medieval period. No butchery marks were noted, although one fragment displayed apparent gnawing marks, presumably caused by a dog. However, it is likely that the assemblage represents food refuse.