1991:039 - DUBLIN: Patrick Street/Nicholas Street, Dublin

The site covered three blocks on the west side of Patrick and Nicholas Sts. and measured c. 175m north-south by c. 30m east-west. It lay directly adjacent to the area excavated by C. Walsh in 1990 (Excavations 1990, 28-9). Archaeological assessment in advance of a proposed development was undertaken between 18th December, 1990 and 4th February 1991.

Four boreholes were monitored and five test trenches were excavated. Funding was provided by the potential developer.

Both the bores and trenches suggested that archaeological deposits, with the exception of drains and other features cut deeply into subsoil, did not survive in the southern and central blocks.

The ditch outside the medieval town wall crossed the north end of the northern block. Its base was noted in a test pit at c. 5m below ground level. Its southern lip was also uncovered. The ditch was c. 3m in depth and judging from the position of the town wall is probably c. 20m in width. It appears to have been almost completely back-filled with silt and organic material by the 15th or 16th century.

The bases of three barrels and a large oak plank-lined trough were uncovered cut into the upper fills of the ditch. None survived to more than 300mm in depth due to the presence of later cellars. All were filled with fragments of oak bark. (Another similar barrel filled with lime was later uncovered further east in a section of the ditch excavate by C. Walsh in 1991, see above No. 37). These features appear to represent a tannery that apparently went out of use in the late 17th or early 18th century.

Archaeological deposits ranging in thickness from 0.3m- 0.9m survived over the remaining area of this block. A number of large medieval pits occurred as well as possible hearths and floors probably of industrial function.

14 Waterloo Roadbridge, Dublin 4