1997:137 - DUBLIN: 4 John Street West, Dublin

Archaeological assessment of the proposed development at this site included the mechanical excavation of three trial-trenches. The site measured 20m eastwards from its frontage on John Street West and was 7m wide. A step to the rear of the site reduced the width to c. 5m. Cellars occurred below the buildings which had fronted onto John Street West. The cellars sat on very stiff and apparently sterile clay. The stratigraphy to the rear of the basements was composed of modern rubble, ash and brick fragments overlying hard brown sterile clay at approximately 1m below footpath level, and the same very stiff sterile clay at a depth of 1.5m. The nature of these clays suggests that they are boulder clay. Their occurrence at this level is unusual and it may be that they represent redeposited stratigraphy. However, as these clays were found by the consulting engineers to be suitable for their foundations, and as the development would not involve any further excavation, the archaeological testing did not go below these load-bearing clays.

77 Brian Road, Marino, Dublin 3