1999:208 - DUBLIN: Island Street/Bridgefoot Street, Dublin

Test excavation of two areas off Island Street and Bridgefoot Street, Dublin, was carried out on 2 and 3 November 1999. Provisional assessment had been undertaken by Daire O'Rourke (Excavations 1998, 45–6); however, the level of subsoil had not been determined in several of the test-trenches, and further areas had become available for testing. This report extends the earlier test report and confirms the findings of that assessment. All trenches were dug by an Atlas 1604 machine, using a toothed bucket.

Thick deposits of organic silt, with a depth averaging 4m and up to 7m, occur over the entire Site D and over Site A with the exception of the Bridgefoot Street frontage. The silts mainly date from the late 17th–18th century, although some residual medieval material may be present. The lower deposit of brown sod/silt, uncovered in all trenches where subsoil was reached, appears to represent a natural soil, probably formed from periodic inundation-a water meadow.

The noxious black silts indicate fairly low-grade (and rapid) dumping, and finds do not appear to be concentrated in their lower levels. Their very organic nature suggests that in part they represent the clearance of cesspits and stabling around the city.

Concentrations of more interesting material, sugar cone vessels and clay pipe debris, were evident towards the upper levels of the deposits. These upper levels contain cinders and crushed brick and are less organic in nature. Later industrial material, a stone-footed chimney structure and clay pipe kiln debris, is significant.

A culverted stream, which is probably the Limerick watercourse, runs through the site. It extends east-west and then appears to turn northwards, continuing east towards the Liffey inlet. The culvert is probably 18th-century in date. Further work on the site is required.

25A Eaton Square, Terenure, Dublin 6W