Conservation Plan

Five years ago, Kilkenny Archaeological Society began to consider the future of Rothe House. How should it be maintained and run in the coming years? With the assistance of the Heritage Council, a Conservation Plan was commissioned, which made four major recommendations as follows:

1.To set up a Management Company, with a proper management structure, to operate the House as a major tourist attraction and to implement the Conservation Plan.

2. To restore the Rothe Medieval Garden which had existed at the rear of the three house complex.

3. To re-present the House in a new and exciting way, to tell the story of the Rothe Family, the house itself and 17th century Kilkenny, which was a time of great political upheaval in Ireland.

4. To maintain and conserve the architectural structures within the property.

Within twelve months, the Management Trust Company (Rothe House Trust Limited) had been formed, comprising stakeholders from a variety of interests within Kilkenny City and County. These include: the Society itself, Kilkenny Local Authorities, the Heritage Council, Failte Ireland, Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Kilkenny Tourism. A property manager was appointed, and a reporting structure was put in place.

In late 2006, funding was received from Failte Ireland, under the NDP 2000-2006, for the restoration of the Medieval Garden. This was matched with funding from the Borough Council and the Civic Trust, together with private donations and subscriptions, and the restoration began. A steering committee had already been formed, and had been working on the design of the garden. This committee included representatives from the Office of Public Works, the DOEHLG, Kilkenny Archaeology and the County Council.

During the spring and summer of 2007, work on the garden went apace, and in November of 2007 it was completed. It comprises two walled gardens, the upper garden containing the orchard and the lower garden containing the vegetable and flower beds. Archaeological evidence uncovered during an extensive dig in the spring of 2007 enabled the Committee to design a garden as close as possible to what might have been there when the Rothe Family lived here in the 17th century.

The garden will open to the public in the Spring of 2008, and will be free of charge. Visitors will be able to relax in a green space right in the heart of the City, and will also learn about gardening in the 17th century, and how the Rothe Family lived and worked.

The third recommendation of the Conservation Plan is already underway. A study has been completed by Event Ireland Limited, an Exhibition Design company, with a view to optimising the visitor’s experience and telling the story of the house and family in an exciting and new way. Funding is now being sought for this ambitious project, and it is intended to complete this project within 12 to 18 months.

The last recommendation of the Conservation Plan, the maintenance and conservation of the structures, is ongoing at the same time, and a report has been commissioned on the current state of these structures. This report will provide a basis on which to proceed.

As you can imagine, these projects are expensive, and the Trust is fortunate to be supported by our local authorities and other bodies within Kilkenny. The support from Failte Ireland has also been very welcome in relation to the garden.

Financial support is still needed for all our projects, and we have various projects in hand. See our Fundraising Page on this website.