1996:105 - DUBLIN: 44–49 New Row South, Dublin

Archaeological test-trenching in advance of development was carried out in mid-December 1996. The site is located along the west side of New Row South at the south end of Patrick Street, approximately 35m west of the River Poddle channel. Twelve test-trenches were excavated by mechanical digger and in three of them archaeological deposits were uncovered beneath a build-up of modern red brick rubble. The archaeological deposits were all identified in the northern part of the site, i.e. that closest to Patrick Street. The deposits were identified at between 1.2m and 1.6m below present ground level. They were composed of a cohesive sticky grey clay layer approximately 0.3m deep overlying a dark brown organic/clay layer containing quantities of leather offcuts and shoe soles and mixed pottery sherds of late medieval date (c. sixteenth/seventeenth century). A substantial timber, orientated east-west, was located in one of the test-trenches close to the surface of the dark brown organic/clay layer. The proposed development is to be constructed using strip foundations, thereby removing all archaeological and other deposits along the lines of party walls. For this reason it has been decided that a portion of the archaeological material adjacent to the east-west timber will be fully excavated. Excavation is due to commence in early January 1997 and will be funded by the developer.

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