County: Dublin Site name: DUBLIN: 10-12 Thomas St.
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 94E0142
Author: Florence M. Hurley
Site type: Habitation site
Period/Dating: Late Medieval (AD 1100-AD 1599)
ITM: E 714350m, N 733849m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.342502, -6.282768
Pre-development testing of a site located behind 10–12 Thomas St. in May 1994 revealed two deposits from which medieval pottery was recovered. These deposits varied in depth from 0.25m to 0.4m. The presence of a possible ditch was also noted. This produced an intact late 12th-/early 13th-century jug. As the site lies within the zone of archaeological potential and is quite close to the site of the Abbey of St Thomas, a two-week excavation took place, funded by the developer.
A 5m x 15m area was opened. This showed that the northern end of the site had been greatly disturbed by later post-medieval activity. This also affected the centre of the site where an oil tank had been situated. At some stage this had been ruptured and the leaking oil had contaminated part of the site. This produced a softening of the underlying subsoil, hence the 'ditch'. Two groups of stakeholes were found, as was a shallow linear feature from which a horseshoe was recovered. The largest feature found was a 'T' shaped gully or drain. This ran the length of the site and averaged 0.45m. It varied in width from 0.95m to 1.45m. Its silty fills suggest that it served as a drainage channel, perhaps servicing small fields or gardens located just outside the city walls. Finds from the site included almost 300 sherds of pottery as well as three worn fragments of floor tile.
8 Marina Park, Victoria Rd., Cork
