County: Dublin Site name: DUBLIN: Iveagh Trust, Bull Alley Street/Bride Street
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 98E0218 ext.
Author: Audrey Gahan for ADS Ltd.
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Medieval (AD 400-AD 1600)
ITM: E 715213m, N 733613m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.340197, -6.269902
A small pre-development excavation was carried out during February and March 1999 within the main courtyard of the Iveagh Trust buildings. Previous assessment here by James Eogan had shown that deposits of medieval date were present (Excavations 1998, 45, 98E0218).
The excavation, which measured a maximum of 8m x 5m, revealed evidence of a medieval gully, possibly for drainage, as well as several pits and random post-holes also of medieval date. Naturally occurring subsoil was found to slope to the south and east. A substantial amount of estuarine material was found banked up against the subsoil.
Although only generalisations can be made because of the size of the excavation, it was assumed that the estuarine deposits were flood material from the River Poddle, part of which it is thought ran close to the site. The raised area of naturally occurring subsoil may represent a small headland within the Poddle flood-plain.
Pottery dating primarily to the 13th century was found, consisting of wares of native, English and French manufacture, as well as the remains of two stick-pins.
Windsor House, 11 Fairview Strand, Dublin 3
