County: Dublin Site name: DUBLIN: Bridge Street
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: C. O.
Site type: Historic town
Period/Dating: Late Medieval (AD 1100-AD 1599)
ITM: E 717895m, N 733872m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.341930, -6.229547
The site is located between Bridge St. and St. Augustine St. in the parish of St. Audeon. Four trial trenches were cut to determine if archaeological stratigraphy was present and as such the work was an assessment rather than an excavation proper. The cuts were located at each edge of the site and in three of these the stratified deposits occurred at a depth of c.2m below ground level, above a naturally deposited layer of esturine mud. The finds from the deposits suggest occupation of the site during the medieval period - probably late 12th or 13th century. Only in one of the trenches, to the north, were there any structural remains, in the form of timbers, which were left in-situ. It was apparent from the layers overlying this occupation level that the site was either abandoned or backfilled to accommodate the 18th-century cellars.
The line of the city wall was defined along the west side of the site at the back of the properties which faced on to St. Augustine St. It measured 2m wide and stood 1.25m high on the west or outside face and 0.7m on the inside. It was built on a bank of yellow sandy soil with some stones. The west face was constructed of large, well-dressed, flat-faced stones. The east face was of poorer quality and inclined slightly inwards at the base. The stones were bonded with a yellow friable mortar and had a rubble core.
For further excavations on this site see Excavations 1989, 21-2
