County: Dublin Site name: DUBLIN: Mercer Street Carpark
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 00E0371
Author: Audrey Gahan, ADS Ltd.
Site type: Habitation site
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 715586m, N 733621m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.340185, -6.264288
Following archaeological assessment in the College of Surgeons carpark at Mercer Street, Dublin, an archaeological excavation was carried out prior to the proposed development of the area. Three areas of excavation were opened, and modern overburden was removed by a mechanical digger.
Trench 1 was located close to the Digges Lane area of the site and was found to contain large amounts of post-medieval ‘garden soils’ beneath the modern overburden. No features of archaeological significance were identified within this material. The only archaeologically important remains located within this trench were an area of burning with several associated stake-holes, which were found in the extreme north-east of the trench, continuing beyond the limit of excavation. The stake-holes were found to be subsoil-cut, and the subsoil in this area had been oxidised. No artefacts were recovered from any of the features associated with this activity, but, as the post-medieval soils directly overlying were unoxidised, this relates to an earlier, possibly medieval phase of activity on the site.
Trench 2 was located in the southern area of the site, extending parallel to Bow Lane East. The western portion of this trench contained nothing of archaeological significance owing to the insertion of basements in this area in the past. Towards the eastern area of the trench a series of subsoil-cut ditches was identified. The ditches continued beyond the limit of excavations under an upstanding building. A total of four ditches were uncovered, ranging from 1.4m to 1.9m wide and on average 1m deep. Sherds of medieval pottery were recovered from the fills of these ditches. No obvious function could be ascribed to the features.
Trench 3 was located parallel to Trench 2 in the central area of the site. Within this trench, removal of modern overburden revealed evidence of post-medieval and medieval cultivation. This material overlay two large pits and the continuation of ditches identified in Trench 2. The pits were close together and measured c. 1.8m in diameter and 1.2m in depth. No artefacts were recovered from the fills of these pits that would assist in dating them, although stratigraphically they are of probable medieval date.
Unit 48, Westlink Enterprise Centre, 30–50 Distillery Street, Belfast BT12 5BJ
