2002:0520 - DUBLIN: Molyneaux House, Bride Street, Dublin

This site lies in the Poddle valley, on the eastern side of St Patrick’s Cathedral and to the rear of a 19th-century chapel associated with Molyneaux House (now demolished). Teresa Bolger originally assessed the site in February 2002 (see No. 519, Excavations 2002) and found evidence of medieval deposits throughout. Subsequent excavation (of an area measuring 30m north–south by 5–15m) by the writer in September/ October 2002 revealed the remains of two ditches dating to the medieval period and a large pit dating to the late 17th century/early 19th century, which was full of ceramic material.

The earlier ditch, at the northern end of the site, was oriented east–west, at least 7.7m long and from 2.1m (east) to 0.8m (west) wide. It had steep sides, was a consistent 0.8m deep and was filled with redeposited clay, though truncated by later features. A shallow pit (0.08m deep) was cut into the base at the western end, sealed by the upper ditch deposit and filled with a pure charcoal deposit that produced one large sherd of Minety ware (c. 1140). This ditch, which is pre-Norman in date, did not appear to be a drainage ditch as there was no evidence of water.

A second, more substantial ditch, oriented north–south and extending the full length of the site, was identified on the eastern side. This survived in two main sections, north and south, although the western side was partially removed by the construction of the church at the southern end. The ditch was exposed for a length of 22m and was between 4m (south) and 2.1m (north) wide and between 1.4m (south) and 1.6m (north) deep, cut into natural boulder clay deposits. The primary deposit was represented by dark grey, silty clay containing shell fragments, animal bone and sherds of medieval pottery. Lenses of iron-pan-stained gravel in the central area suggested that the ditch originally channelled fast-flowing water. Organic lenses, animal bone and shell indicated that refuse was also regularly dumped in.

The northern end of the ditch was then recut, probably in the 14th century, and this new ditch was 2.4m wide at the upper levels, narrowing to 0.7m at the base. It was U-shaped, with a maximum depth of 0.6m, and was filled with brown clay. In contrast to the original ditch, there are no indications of any water flowing through the recut channel, although the numerous fragments of limestone and mortar suggest the presence of a stone medieval building in the vicinity. A large fragment of medieval ridge tile also came from this deposit.

After the ditch had gone out of use, the area appears to have been open ground up to the 17th century, represented by a build-up of dark grey, friable, silty clay, c. 0.2m deep. A large pit was found at the northern end of the site, dating to the late 17th century and measuring at least 4.7m east–west by at least 1.7m (extending beyond the northern baulk). This pit produced a huge collection of 17th- and 18th-century pottery, as well as a chimney pot, glass fragments and clay-pipe fragments. The remains of a cellar (0.3m high) were also found in the south-west corner of the northern section, filled with a black cinder deposit.

2 Killiney View, 2 Albert Road Lower, Glenageary, Co. Dublin