1996:078 - DUBLIN: 5–6 Cecilia Street West, Dublin

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Dublin Site name: DUBLIN: 5–6 Cecilia Street West

Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 96E0003

Author: Linzi Simpson, c/o Margaret Gowen and Co. Ltd

Site type: Religious house - Augustinian friars, Building and Kiln - lime

Period/Dating: Multi-period

ITM: E 715526m, N 734126m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.344734, -6.265019

The site was located on Fownes Street Upper, a street thought to represent the eastern boundary of an Augustinian friary, the cemetery of which had been located further south in a previous excavation directed by M. Reid (Excavations 1993, 29). The western boundary is represented by Temple Lane, one of the earliest lanes in Dublin, probably of Viking origin and previously known as 'Hogges lane'.

The friary was established outside the walls of Dublin in the eastern suburb c. 1260 and is well documented in the historical sources. It continued to function until 1540 when, along with the other ecclesiastical establishments, it was suppressed during the Dissolution. Most of the friary buildings, however, were not demolished at this date but were incorporated into a series of 'mansions , i.e. the Crow Nest and Fownes mansion. These were reputedly demolished in the early eighteenth century and the existing street layout (Fownes Street, Cecilia Street) was then established.

The initial site assessment, directed by M. Gowen (Excavations 1995, 17–18), located the foundations of two large east/west-running internal limestone walls, interpreted as medieval in date. Subsequently, the site was excavated in February 1996.

The excavation
The excavation revealed that substantial remains of the friary still survived on the site, the best-preserved portion being a large limestone wall. This measured 1.2m in width and stood 2m in height, supported by a series of large arches and external buttresses. This wall extended along the eastern boundary of the site (Fownes Street Upper) and was thought to represent the friary precinct wall. It continued north towards the Liffey and beyond the limit of the site (although the northern east-west precinct wall has recently been located lying to the south of the Temple Bar pub). Within the wall (i.e. to the west) and inside the precinct of the friary, the well-preserved remains of a large medieval lime-kiln were uncovered (4.3m north-south by 3.9m east-west), representing the earliest friary remains on the site, in use presumably when the friary was under construction. An internal arched north-south wall was then built over and sealed this lime-kiln. This wall was bonded in with a second internal wall, also orientated east-west, which ran along the southern boundary of the site (i.e. Cecilia Street) and was bonded in with the precinct wall at the eastern end. The lines of other internal walls (robbed out) were represented by spreads of mortar and rubble.

The foundations of the south-east corner of a large stone building were also recovered at the northern end of the site, standing less than 0.4m in height and extending beneath Cecilia House on the western side of the site. This postdated the friary precinct wall and probably represents the foundations of one of the mansions built c. 1600 in this area.

A series of later, regular limestone walls were also located throughout the site, incorporating the remaining friary walls. These are thought to represent the foundations of early eighteenth-century houses, laid out when the surrounding streets were established.

Despite the substantial remains of the stone foundations, no associated habitation or floor levels remained in situ, but an organic infill deposit produced medieval floor tiles and a quantity of medieval pottery (including local Dublin wares). However, the level of the stone remains was in conflict with the design plan of the new development, which included a deep basement. As a result all stone structures were removed; a 6m stretch of the precinct wall was re-erected within the new building.

Finished drawings by Shirley Markley.

Rath House, Ferndale Rd, Rathmichael, Co. Dublin