2003:480 - DALKEY: 62 Castle Street, Dublin

An excavation was carried out at 62 Castle Street, Dalkey, Co. Dublin, in advance of the construction of an apartment complex. The excavation commenced during January 2003 and continued for a period of ten weeks. The site measured 15m by 35m and was located at the western end of Dalkey village at the junction of Dalkey Avenue and Castle Street. An assessment and test excavation undertaken by William O. Frazer (Excavations 2002, No. 503, 02E1690) identified several medieval pits and a possible east–west-aligned ditch.

Phase 1: medieval occupation
The earliest phase of activity identified on the site was characterised by a series of features associated with a medieval burgage plot. The plot was defined by a ditch and drain along the eastern boundary of the site. Numerous domestic rubbish pits were found within the area of the burgage plot. Several post-holes, stake-holes and hearths, located along the southern edge of a metalled surface, suggested a habitation area at the north end of the site. The pottery assemblage recovered from these features would indicate a mid-12th- to late 14th-century date. Other artefacts included a bone spindle whorl, and iron knife, fragments of rotary querns and several fragments of green glazed floor tiles.

Phase 2: late medieval occupation
The second and most significant phase of activity on the site began with the construction of a substantial stone building directly over the medieval habitation area. The building occupied the north-west corner of the site and extended out under Dalkey Avenue to the west. The foundation rubble of the east wall and the lowest course of stone of the north wall survived. The southern end of the east wall and the southern wall were destroyed during the construction of a large 18th- or 19th-century granite drain. A very small portion of the south wall was visible in the east-facing section of the site. No entrance was found.

To facilitate the construction of the east wall a large linear foundation trench, 14m in length and 2.25m wide, was excavated. The trench truncated the metalled surface and several domestic rubbish pits. Charcoal, animal bones, shell fragments and sherds of Leinster cooking ware were found within the trench. The poorly preserved east wall was 14m in length and consisted of irregularly shaped granite stones, laid down in a rather haphazard fashion. The foundations had a maximum width of 1.6m and height of 0.42m.

The north wall had a length of 4.5m and extended into the western baulk. The foundation rubble and the lowest course of unmortared stone survived under a mixed layer of sand, gravel and small stones which was laid down across the north end of the site to provide a level platform for the construction of the late 19th-century building above. The surviving stone course had a width of 1.1m resting on a foundation that was 1.6m wide.

The construction of the north wall was hampered by an earlier stake-lined pit. To overcome this problem, much of the organic material within the pit was removed and three courses of granite stone were laid down within the pit on a bed of sand and gravel. Quantities of gravel and small stones were then added after the stonework was completed to provide additional support for the wall.

The choice for the location of the building was poor. The natural hard clay slopes from the rear of the site (depth 0.3m) down to the north end and, in particular, the north-east corner, which is 1.2m below the modern street level. The uneven ground level and poor drainage caused additional problems in the interior of the building. The north end of the interior had to be artificially raised to level the surface. A layer of rough cobbling was laid down over 0.35m of redeposited clay. Much of the cobbling was in very poor condition but small areas had remained in situ.

Historical and cartographic sources indicated that the building was in ruins by the middle of the 18th century. The site stratigraphy suggested that the building may have been in ruins by the 17th century. From at least the 17th century onwards, silt, sands and gravels began to accumulate in the north-east corner of the site. A sherd of 17th-century Frechen pottery was recovered from the lower layer of sands and silts. Much of the rubble from the east wall was sealed under these waterborne deposits and signified the end of Phase 2.

Phase 3: 17th/18th century
The fragmentary remains of a building were found overlying these natural deposits in the north-east corner of the site. Only the lowest course of stone from the north-west corner of the building survived. No foundation trench was used in the construction. The remains of the west wall were 4.5m in length and 0.9m wide. The north wall was 2.5m in length and extended into the eastern baulk. The wall was built from granite stones roughly dressed on one side to provide a neat outer facing. The interior of the wall was filled with small irregularly-shaped stones. It is quite possible that the granite came from the late medieval building to the west. A small portion of the south wall may have survived. An additional small segment of a wall 3.7m in length and 1m wide was uncovered during the removal of rubble around a granite drain to the east of the site. The drain truncated part of the north face of the wall and some of the stone from the wall appeared to have been used for its construction.

A double line of flat stones, aligned in an east–west direction, was uncovered lying over the medieval boundary ditch in the south-east corner of the site. The stones resembled the type of foundation stones used in the construction of a small cottage. Any additional remains were destroyed by the construction of a late 19th-century building over it.

Two wells were uncovered on the site but were not excavated. The first was found under a modern concrete block wall that enclosed the south end of the site. The well was lined with limestone. A rectangular timber post, 2.4m in length and 0.21m wide, was positioned upright in the centre of the well. The post was hollow and tapered at one end. Small square holes were made at the top end, presumably for additional fittings. A second short circular piece of wood with an iron collar was attached to the tapered end. The timbers formed part of the pump mechanism for the well. The second well abutted the east wall of the late medieval building. The cut for the well truncated the foundation trench of the wall, indicating a later date. The well was at least 4m in depth, tapered inwards at the top, and was lined with large granite boulders. Neither well could be dated with any degree of certainty, but a 17th- or 18th-century date is probable. The well was capped by two large granite slabs to facilitate the construction of a later building.

Phase 4: 19th/20th century
During the first half of the 19th century a small cabin or workshop was built along the side of the east wall of the late medieval building. This would indicate that at least part of the east wall was standing or was rebuilt during the early 19th century. Approximately 0.5m of yellow clay was excavated to provide a level floor space. The foundations of a poorly constructed east–west-aligned granite and brick wall were uncovered to the south abutting the east wall of the late medieval building. The eastern end was truncated by a modern test-trench. The remains of a small red-brick partition wall abutted the late medieval building. The workshop area was on the north side of this red-brick wall over the well. To facilitate the building of the workshop, the well was capped by two large granite slabs. A semicircular line of brick and stone with a diameter of 1.45m was laid down over the well. Although very little of the structure survived, the broken fragments of brick showed signs of intense heating on the inner face, suggesting that the structure may have been a crudely built furnace. Several pieces of slag and coal were found in and around the structure.

The remains of two additional granite drains were found in the north-east corner of the site. The drains were cut through the accumulated sands and gravels in the corner of the site and under late 19th-century building rubble. Sherds of post-medieval pottery, glass and clay-pipe fragments were recovered from within the fills of the drains.

Towards the end of the 19th century a large stone building was built on the site. The site was levelled and 0.25m of stone, gravel and sand was laid down directly over the earlier structural remains. Numerous late 19th- and early 20th-century coins were found on the surface of this deposit. Sections of the north, west and east walls survived. Much of the building was demolished during the construction of a printworks during the latter half of the 20th century. Local sources indicated that the building was used as a bakery.

The remains of a smaller but associated building were found towards the south-east corner of the site over the two medieval ditches and the foundations of the possible cottage or cabin. Part of the south wall, a cobble-and-brick floor and a red-tiled drain were uncovered. The building was reused when the printworks was built.

Sweep Road, Rathmore, Portarltington, Co. Laois