Settlement deserted - medieval

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated to the N of the site of Rathdown Castle (WI008-011----). Cropmarks indicating a deserted medieval village are visible on aerial photographs (CUCAP, BDP025/026; GSIAP 061/62/63). There are several large square fields with traces of other features visible on these aerial photographs. These earthworks appear to represent the medieval village of Rathdown.
In 1827 the deserted settlement of Rathdown was described as following; ‘Wild and deserted as the whole of this district, from the Windgate road to the beach, now appears, with scarcely a comfortable residence (none at all now) and no arborical vegetation, it was once the site of the village of Rathdown, and surrounded by baronial and ecclesiastical edifices. The castle [WI008-011----], St. Crispin’s Cell [WI008-012001-], and the parish church, were within short distances of each other and of the village. Upon the final deletion of the village, Col. Farrar the proprietor, razed the tomb stones, disinterred the bones in the church yard and recommitted all the earth again in one large pit dug for the purpose, after which he erased the church itself’ (Wright 1827, 20).
In 1838 the Ordnance Survey recorded the presence of earthworks belonging to levelled buildings in the field to the N of the castle. The OS described these seetlement earthworks as following; 'The ground on the north of this place still retains various traces of buildings or enclosures (WI008-011002-), but whether they belonged to the Rath (WI008-011001-) or the castle (WI008-011----) I cannot say' (O'Flanagan 1928, 41). This reference to various traces of buildings or enclosures to the N of the castle indicates the presence of a deserted medieval settlement (WI008-011002-).
According to local information the 'field to the North of the limekiln can be seen several humps and hollows where the Old Village stood. This field was known as "Troopers Field" (Christopher Kearney, Wicklow People, 01/03/1985).
In 1623 an inquisition into the estate of the deceased, Peter Talbot of the manor of Rathdrum, described the manor as consisting of 1 castle, 10 cottages, 200 acres arable land and 100 acres of pasture...etc.' (Cal. inq. post mortem, 24 Jac. 1). The settlement earthworks in the field to the N of the castle may be the remains of the '10 cottages' which formed part of the 'Manor of Rathdown' in 1623.
In 2016 a gradiometer and resistance survey was undertaken by Leigh Surveys under licence No. 16R0063 in the area to the N of Rathdown Castle (Burbridge et. al. 2017, 38; Leigh 2016,7). The results of the survey was summarised by Leigh Surveys as following; 'The results have detected responses indicative of archaeological activity. The responses identified are fragmented. There is clear correlation with the aerial photograph (CUCAP BDP025/026) but much of the site has remained undetected in the data, with the responses identified having a fragmented appearance. This suggests this site has been heavily plough damaged. Nevertheless, the responses are indicative of a former field system, with ditched boundary features and clear ploughing trends' (Leigh 2016, 7).

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wicklow' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 26 July 2018

References

CUCAP - Cambridge University Collection of Aerial Photographs. Unit for Landscape Modelling, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge. See:https://www.cambridgeairphotos.com

GSIAP - Geological Survey of Ireland Aerial Photographs (c. 1973). Geological Survey. Beggars Bush, Haddington Road, Dublin 4.

Cal. inq. post mortem - Calendar of inquisitions post mortem (18 vols., London, 1904-87)

Leigh, J. M. 2016 Geophysical survey report, St. Crispin's Church, Greystones, County Wicklow (Licence no. 16R0063). Unpublished report, National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

Burbridge, M., Coyne, F., Harrington, J. Love, C. Mogensen, E. & Duffy, P. 2017 New insights into the church known as St. Crispin's Cell and the site of Rathdown Castle, Co. Wicklow, 35-39. Archaeology Ireland, Vol. 31, No. 4.

Wright, G.N. 1827 A guide to the County of Wicklow. Baldwin, Cradock and Joy. London.