Historic Buildings Research Group
Director: Dr Colin Rynne
This group is primarily involved in the advance of research into the built environment of Ireland from the later medieval to the later historical and industrial periods, with special emphasis on the archaeological survey of standing buildings and their conservation. Its primary aims are:
(1) To develop research clusters dedicated to the study of the archaeology of later and post-medieval built environment in Ireland in the following areas:
• Later and post-medieval castles and fortifications
• Buildings of secular authority
• Post-medieval ecclesiastical architecture
• The archaeology of towns
• Vernacular architecture
• The archaeology of industrialisation
(2) To provide a wide training in buildings archaeology and related profession skills to research students forming part of the research group
(3) To develop new methodological initiatives in standing building survey and recording
(4) To develop new, and build upon existing, partnerships with the private sector, through the continued development of the successful Historic Buildings Survey Unit (established by Colin Rynne in 2001). This unit has completed a wide range of large-scale projects throughout Ireland, including the medieval walls of Waterford City, The Grand Canal towns of County Offaly; Killaloe Bridge, Limerick City Docks, the Cork South Docks Development Plan, Cork Corporation Waterworks, the Copper Coast historic mining project, County Waterford and the Kilrush Harbour Warehouses (Glynn’s Mills) project.
