1997:152 - DUBLIN: 44–49 New Row South, Dublin

The site is located along the west side of New Row South at the south end of Patrick Street and c. 300m outside the medieval walled town. It lies approximately 35m west of the River Poddle channel as depicted by Clarke in his map of medieval Dublin (H. Clarke, Medieval Dublin in the modern street (1978)).

Archaeological test-trenching of the site in advance of the proposed development provided evidence for archaeological deposits 0.8–1.2m deep in the northern portion of the site (Excavations 1996, 29). Consequently a trench 9m long by 1–1.6m wide was fully excavated. Overlying medieval deposits of 13th/14th-century date (Level 1), a number of pits were excavated which contained leather offcuts and a small quantity of leather shoe soles; spreads of silty clay deposits were also uncovered (Level 2). Above this, foundation deposits and features associated with an 18th-century building were exposed (Level 3). Pottery recovered from both Levels 2 and 3 was predominantly 17th/18th-century in date. A small quantity of residual 16th-century Raeren stoneware panel jug fragments were also uncovered in this assemblage.

The proximity of the site to both the Poddle and the Coombe rivers, the recovery of leather offcut fragments on the site and medieval tanning pits uncovered in the vicinity (C. Walsh, Excavation at Patrick, Nicholas and Winetavern Streets, Dublin (1997)) suggest that the site may have been the location of industrial works associated with the tanning industry from the medieval period (13th/14th century) until the 18th/19th century.

81 Upper Leeson Street, Dublin 4