The remains of 300-year-old buildings have been uncovered by complete chance during renovation work on a country house estate. Unsuspecting archaeologists were left dumbfounded when the remains were unearthed during digging work on the grounds of Castle Ward near Strangford, Co Down.
Image Credit: Metro [National Trust property Castle Ward in County Down. Undocumented remains of a 300-year-old buildings complex have been discovered by chance during routine drainage work on the country house estate. The foundations of a courtyard and surrounding buildings were unearthed in an area of thick vegetation on the grounds of Castle Ward during the installation of a drain filtration system. Picture date: Tuesday December 24, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story ULSTER Archaeology. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire]
There was no record or knowledge of the historical remnants at the National Trust property, which included the foundations of a courtyard and household artefacts. Archaeologists had singled out the area of thick vegetation for the path of a new drainage system precisely because they believed the area offered nothing of historical significance.
Image Credit: Metro [Undated handout photo issued by Michael Fearon of an artifact that was found at the excavation at the remains of a dwelling dating back to the 18th century that has been discovered at Castle Ward, a National Trust property in County Down, which was unearthed during routine work to install a new drain filtration system. Issue date: Thursday January 2, 2025. PA Photo. See PA story ULSTER Archaeology. Photo credit should read: Michael Fearon/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.]
Little could they have guessed that drainage specialists would stumble upon red bricks as they dug up a trench for new piping. After the initial discovery, the soil was peeled back further to expose a collection of buildings that date as far back as the 1600s.
Image Credit: Metro [Undated handout photo issued by Michael Fearon of the excavation at the remains of a dwelling dating back to the 18th century that has been discovered at Castle Ward, a National Trust property in County Down, which was unearthed during routine work to install a new drain filtration system. Issue date: Thursday January 2, 2025. PA Photo. See PA story ULSTER Archaeology. Photo credit should read: Michael Fearon/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.]
What they found was a central, cobbled courtyard with several tiled buildings around it. Household essentials such as a sink, fireplace, cellar and drains also remained. Experts have theorised the buildings were destroyed when the new mansion was built because it would have been an eyesore blocking the beautiful views of the surrounding Strangford Lough.
The existing country mansion at Castle Ward began construction in the 1760s, although archaeologists know a house stood in the same spot earlier in the century. It is believed that the buried complex of buildings were domestic and farm-related dwellings dating back to the late 1600s or early 1700s.
![[National Trust property Castle Ward in County Down. Undocumented remains of a 300-year-old buildings complex have been discovered by chance during routine drainage work on the country house estate. The foundations of a courtyard and surrounding buildings were unearthed in an area of thick vegetation on the grounds of Castle Ward during the installation of a drain filtration system. Picture date: Tuesday December 24, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story ULSTER Archaeology. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_234765396-2dd2.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
![[Undated handout photo issued by Michael Fearon of an artifact that was found at the excavation at the remains of a dwelling dating back to the 18th century that has been discovered at Castle Ward, a National Trust property in County Down, which was unearthed during routine work to install a new drain filtration system. Issue date: Thursday January 2, 2025. PA Photo. See PA story ULSTER Archaeology. Photo credit should read: Michael Fearon/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_234765421-4120.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
![[Undated handout photo issued by Michael Fearon of the excavation at the remains of a dwelling dating back to the 18th century that has been discovered at Castle Ward, a National Trust property in County Down, which was unearthed during routine work to install a new drain filtration system. Issue date: Thursday January 2, 2025. PA Photo. See PA story ULSTER Archaeology. Photo credit should read: Michael Fearon/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_234765420-47e4.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
