1997:111 - DUBLIN: 32–34 Castle Street, Dublin

A test-trench excavated on this site in 1991 showed that organic deposits of Hiberno-Norse age survived here (Excavations 1991, 12). Two boreholes were also undertaken for engineering purposes at that time but were not monitored by an archaeologist. They showed that archaeological deposits over 4m thick occurred at a depth of between 2.3m and 6.5m below ground level.

Monitoring of the drilling of eight 900mm-diameter shell and auger piles, two at each corner of the site, was undertaken between 6 and 11 March 1997. Monitoring of the excavation of pile-cap pits, which were restricted to a depth of 2.2m to avoid the surviving archaeological deposits, and general site clearance to a depth of 1m was undertaken between 13 and 27 March 1997. The latter activities did not penetrate deep enough to encounter medieval deposits.

Rich organic archaeological deposits occurred in all eight piles. It was not possible to precisely measure the depth from which individual drill-loads were taken but a rough estimate was made. Each drill-load was examined individually and any finds retrieved. Archaeological deposits occurred between 6.5m and 2.5m below modern ground level.

The four piles at the rear (north) end of the site all contained remains of medieval buildings in the form of clay floors, layers of ash, chewed-up large structural posts and pieces of post-and-wattle fencing. In contrast, the piles at the front of the site only contained organic material and a lesser number of timbers. This suggests that the houses on the site were set back from the street front, possibly linked to it by pathways. The fragments of houses uncovered are likely to date from the 10th to the 12th century.

Finds included a single sherd of a 12th-century Wiltshire jug, a number of iron points, a knife and an arrowhead, bronze pins, a composite antler comb, bone pins and sewing needles, fragments of wooden stave-built vessels, leather shoes and whetstones.

25a Eaton Square, Terenure, Dublin 6W