1998:164 - DUBLIN: 6–10 Hanbury Lane/Rear of 38 Thomas Street, Dublin

This site lies on the north side of Hanbury Lane. It was tested while occupied by standing buildings still in use (the 'Dublin Bazaar'). This severely restricted both access to the site and the scale of trenching that could be undertaken. The trenches were excavated using mini-mechanical excavators, whose reach was insufficient to allow all trenches to be excavated to subsoil. The narrow part of the site fronting onto Thomas Street was not available for assessment. The site is close to the eastern boundary of the medieval abbey of St Thomas. It was expected to encounter some evidence of this boundary in the trenches.

Seven trenches/pits were excavated; however, the excavation of two of these was abandoned at a high level owing to the presence of live cables and pipes. Two further trenches could not be excavated to subsoil owing to the restricted space and reach of the mechanical excavators.

All trenches contained a generally similar series of deposits. Subsoil, where it was reached, lay at between 2.5m and 2.7m below ground level. In Trench 3 it was overlain by a thin layer of cultivated soil that contained no finds. In all trenches a layer of organic silt, of later 17th-century date, occurred between 2.5–2.7m and 1.3–2.4m below ground level. This deposit was overlain by 19th-century fills of shallow cellars. These in turn were overlain by cobbled floors, by a possible laneway and finally by modern concrete floors.

No medieval deposits were noted in any of the trenches excavated. Further assessment, to be undertaken when the standing buildings are demolished, will determine whether a medieval wall stands on the western boundary of the site.

25a Eaton Square, Terenure, Dublin 6W