County: Dublin Site name: DUBLIN: Merchants Quay Ward
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: Mary McMahon
Site type: Church
Period/Dating: Medieval (AD 400-AD 1600)
ITM: E 714859m, N 733303m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.337488, -6.275326
Landscaping work by Dublin Corporation on a site adjoining the S wall of St Audoen's Church, High Street, envisaged a reduction in ground level from the path on High Street towards the church wall. It was proposed to conduct this work by machine over a three week period in September 1985. However, on surveying the site a number of features were noted:
(a) A brick-vaulted 'tunnel'/coal passage extended south under the east end of the site for a distance of 13.7m. The top of the 'tunnel' was approximately 0.3m below ground level. Research revealed that the 'tunnel' was on the line of an ancient right-of-way which ran between High Street and St Audoen's Gate at the east end of the 12th-/13th-century church.
(b) Two medieval(?) walls of limestone rubble extended south from the south wall of the church.
(c) There were a number of blocked-up openings on the south wall of the church which indicated the possible existence of medieval structures on the site.
An interim solution was agreed which proposed reducing the overall level by 0.5m-1m, planting some shallow rooting shrubs and grassing the remainder. A full-scale archaeological investigation would be necessary if the ground levels were to be further disturbed.
77 Brian Road, Marino, Dublin 3
