County: Dublin Site name: DUBLIN: 2 Crane Lane
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 96E0222
Author: Helen Kehoe
Site type: Quay
Period/Dating: Post Medieval (AD 1600-AD 1750)
ITM: E 715396m, N 734104m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.344565, -6.266978
A site assessment and subsequent monitoring of a small site at No. 2 Crane Lane, Dublin 2, were carried out in August 1996 and August 1997. The initial assessment did not produce anything of archaeological significance (Excavations 1996, 22). However, during the monitoring of site substructural works a substantial section of a well-built blackstone wall was revealed extending north-south along the eastern boundary of the site. Because of its location in relation to the early confluence of the Liffey and Poddle, it was suggested that this wall had formed part of a quay wall associated with the Poddle.
Six metres of the top of the wall were exposed (length of site). It measured 0.6m in width and extended in a slight north-west direction. The depth of the wall was established at 1.6m, with a slight basal batter. A 2m section of the wall face was fully exposed, revealing a drain feature or outlet measuring 0.6m in height by 0.4m in width. There were at least three red brick inserts at the top end of this feature. The wall appeared to extend into the northern and southern sections of the site.
The material excavated away from the wall face consisted of soft brown clay with shell and animal bone remains; several sherds of post-medieval pottery were also retrieved. This deposit was consistent with reclamation fill. In the early 1600s, concerted efforts were being made to reclaim the wide confluence of the Poddle and Liffey rivers. The material excavated away from the blackstone wall was identified as reclamation infill.
The quay wall
Speed's map of Dublin, dated 1610, shows the topography of the eastern suburb in the early days of the reclamation. By this date a stone quay wall is shown extending east-west along the riverbank, on the east side of the Poddle. Part of this quay wall has been located during previous archaeological investigations at No. 3 Temple Bar, and a second portion at Wellington Quay. Both walls were of solid limestone, well bonded with a distinct basal batter, similar in type to the wall under discussion. Speed's map does show a continuation of the quay wall, orientated north-south, and bordering the confluence on the eastern side of the Poddle.
11 Norseman Place, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7
