County: Dublin Site name: DUBLIN: 141–146 Townsend Street, 8–13 Shaw Street and 20 Mark Street
Sites and Monuments Record No.: DU018-020---- Licence number: 03E1633
Author: Christine Baker, Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd.
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 716405m, N 734232m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.345493, -6.251774
Test excavation was undertaken as part of an assessment at the above site, which encompassed a 1903m2 area and was composed of two vacated office-and-retail buildings at 142–143 Townsend Street, office buildings at 20 Mark Street and 8 Shaw Street, respectively, with the remainder of the site in use as a carpark. The site is situated within the zone of archaeological potential for the historic core of Dublin. Five trenches (A–E) were opened in the area used as a carpark.
In Trench A, 14m north–south by 1.5m by 3m deep, four stratigraphic layers were identified. The upper two, surviving to a combined depth of 0.3m, were composed of tarmac and hardcore relating to the construction of the carpark. The basal layer was brown stony subsoil occurring at a depth of 1.9–3m. The layer between 0.3 and 1.9m incorporated three walls (I–III) and vaulted cellars of either mortared red-brick or limestone-block construction.
In Trench B, 15m north–south by 1.5m by 2.9m deep, were four stratigraphic layers of similar composition and depth to those of Trench A. Structural elements relating to two walls (IV–V) and a cellar were identified in the tertiary deposit at a depth of 0.3–2.7m. The cellar corresponds with the location of 144 Townsend Street and was constructed from mortared red brick. Of the walls identified, Wall IV was constructed of mortared red brick and was associated with 143 Townsend Street. Wall V was constructed of mortared limestone blocks.
In Trench C, 19m east–west by 1.3m by 2.6m deep, six stratigraphic layers were identified. The upper three layers (0–0.35m deep) relate to yard and carpark surfaces, the basal layer was the natural subsoil. The fourth and fifth layers, occurring between 0.35 and 1.9m, were rubble layers within which three walls (VI–VIII) and a cellarage were identified. Wall VI was associated with the cellarage and fronted onto Shaw Street. Twelve stratigraphic layers relating to a series of yard levels were identified between Walls VI and VII. Wall VIII was of limestone-block construction.
In Trench D, 17.5m east–west by 1.3m by 2.9m deep, four stratigraphic layers as identified in Trenches A and B were recorded. No structural remains were present.
In Trench E, 10.4m east–west by 1.5m by 3m deep, five stratigraphic layers were identified, and included a red-brick surface directly overlying the subsoil at a depth of 1.95m. No structural remains were present.
The remains identified in Trenches A–C reflect the localised development of this site throughout the 18th and 19th century and include cellarage, outhouses, yards and property walls relating to Nos 144–146 Townsend Street and to No. 12 Shaw Street.
2 Killiney View, Albert Road Lower, Glenageary, Co. Dublin
