Indicated — Dromderrig (kinsale By.)

Located to the south of the medieval town on a high terrace of land with commanding views to the N and E. The site is referred to locally as the Southwell Gift Houses after Sir Robert Southwell who erected the buildings in 1682 'for 8 old people' (Power et al. 1994, 285). The Almshouses were restored to their original use from 1965 to 1970, and extensively refurbished in 1968: https://www.rte.ie/archives/2017/0206/850574-kinsale-houses-restored/. During this refurbishment, all buildings were re-roofed with salvaged slate, the interiors modified and the external walls repointed. In 2015 the houses were put for sale on behalf of the Church of Ireland, Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross due to the need to completely restore the buildings. They are now in private ownership, and a conservation and refurbishment project to make them fit to use as houses again was approved in 2017 (Planning Report 2017). The site is comprised of a detached three-bay, two-storey, gable fronted house, facing the entrance, within its own grounds with a garden extending to the W, and an enclosed courtyard to the E, flanked by two rows of paired single-storey houses with dormer attics and windows. (Garner 1980, 69). The almshouses comprise three bay facades with dormer and ground floor windows flanking a central double-leaf timber battened doorway with decorative door furniture. The windows are attractive timber framed, quarry glazed cast-iron windows, with stone lintels and sills; the dormer windows have lead-clad barrel-roofs. The houses are a single room deep, with rooms either side of a central entrance and corridor. Surviving original features include squared joists supporting the first floor and the limestone rubble structure comprised of thin closely packed slabs, which were repointed with sand/cement mortar during the 1968 refurbishment. Linking the flanking ranges is a random-rubble wall with ornate carved and channelled ashlar gate piers surmounted with stone urns. The central house, formerly referred to as the ‘Steward’s House’, has rendered walls and transom, and mullioned windows with diamond panes. These windows are set within square-headed opes originally having stone lintels and sills. Internally large chamfered beams survive at first floor level. There is a very decorative gable and brick-fronted porch with Doric pilasters, a cornice and engaged pinnacles (ibid). In the gable of the porch is a plaque containing the Southwell coat of arms (CO112-034015-). The above description is derived from the 'Urban Archaeological Survey of County Cork' (unpublished, 1995), and the 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 2: East and South Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1994). Attached images CO112-034008-_01.PNG: Aerial view of the site, from E. CO112-034008-_02.PNG: View of the two almshouses to the N of the site, prior to recent refurbishment. CO112-034008-_03.PNG: View of the almshouses to the S of the site, prior to recent refurbishment. CO112-034008-_04.PNG: View of the N arm of the almshouses, from the NE, prior to recent refurbishment. CO112-034008-_05.PNG: View of one of the houses’ double-leaf timber battened doorway with decorative door furniture, showing the limestone rubble comprised of thin closely packed slabs, prior to recent refurbishment. CO112-034008-_06.PNG: One of the houses’ timber framed, quarry glazed cast-iron windows, with stone lintel and sill. CO112-034008-_07.PNG: View of one of the dormer windows, with its lead-clad barrel-roof. CO112-034008-_08.PNG: Interior of one of the houses, showing the original squared joists, prior to recent refurbishment. CO112-034008-_09.PNG: Entrance from E, with carved and channelled ashlar gate piers surmounted with stone urns. CO112-034008-_10.PNG: Front façade of the central house, prior to recent refurbishment. CO112-034008-_11.PNG: View of the decorated gabled porch, central house, prior to recent refurbishment. CO112-034008-_12.PNG: View of the courtyard from E. prior to recent refurbishment. CO112-034008-_13.PNG: Southwell Coat of arms, gable of the central house’s porch. CO112-034008-_14.PNG Central house, from W, with view of harbour to E, prior to recent refurbishment. CO112-034008-_15.PNG: Large chamfered beams surviving at first floor level, central house. Compiled by: Archaeological Survey Unit, UCC, Urban Archaeological Survey and Anne-Julie Lafaye Date of revision: 04 January 2023