2003:508 - DUBLIN: 27–31 Church Street, Dublin

Three separate testing programmes were carried out on this site between 1996 and 2002 by Dominic Delany, Helen Kehoe and Linzi Simpson (Excavations 1996, No. 79; 2002, No. 527; 96E0209 and extensions). These exercises revealed the presence of medieval deposits throughout the site, consisting of clays and silts containing animal bone and shell, as well as medieval pottery. As a result, full-scale excavation was required in advance of on-site construction. Development on-site would consist of an office block with basement.

Prior to excavation, the site was in use as a carpark and storage yard, with a series of levels relative to OD ranging from 6.13m OD (west) and 6.42m OD (east) along the northern part of the site and between 5.99m OD (west) and 6.22m OD (east) along the southern side of the site.

Excavation began on 25 August 2003 and was completed on 16 January 2004, using a team of approximately twenty archaeologists. The site measured approximately 60m east–west by 30m. Post-excavation analysis is ongoing at the time of writing, with a small bit of monitoring to be undertaken along the eastern and western parts of the site.

The eastern part of the site was excavated first. Concrete, brick and rubble layers were removed by machine until a grey-brown, clay, post-medieval layer was revealed. This homogenous layer was approximately 0.7m thick. The post-medieval phase showed evidence that the site was used as a copper and brass foundry in the 18th and 19th centuries. A cobbled surface and a 22m-long east–west drain were revealed in the southern part of the site, also relating to the modern engineering works.

In the northern part of the site, excavation of the post-medieval layers revealed skeletal remains of one individual, oriented east–west. A grave-cut was not visible. The remains were in a good state of preservation but with the feet missing. No grave goods were revealed.

A friable greenish clay and a silty sand layer were noted throughout the site below the post-medieval deposits. An amount of medieval pottery and animal bone was recovered from these layers, as well as worked bone and antler. The most notable find was a chess gaming piece (probable pawn) made of elephant ivory (Ian Riddler, pers. comm.).

Ten large pits, extending north–south, were revealed below the post-medieval deposits at the eastern end of the site. All were oval in shape and contained medieval pottery, animal bone and antler tines. One of the pits produced remains of a decorated bone comb, as well as possible woven fabric and organic remains, including seeds. It is suggested that detailed post-excavation analysis will produce evidence for comb manufacture on-site (Ian Riddler, pers. comm.).

Approximately 4m west of these pits, further medium-sized pits were excavated and these revealed finds including a bone needle, a possible bone punch, worked antler and many fish bones.

Cockle and mussel shells were becoming frequent in these medieval horizons, which were truncated by the above-mentioned pits. The presence of shell was most notable in the eastern part of the site and decreased in size and density to the west. Many antler tines were found in these shell layers, as well as horns and toggles.

A friable cream-coloured clay was recorded, sealed by the shell layers, extending from the north to the south of the site but only 5m in from the eastern baulk. There were no finds from this layer but cut into it were numerous stake-holes, forming a line north–south across the site. In the north-eastern corner of the site four large post-holes were recorded, directly associated with the stake-holes. These contexts indicate the presence of a possible subrectangular structure located in the north-east corner of the site.

Removal of the cream-coloured clay revealed an earlier series of stake-holes which were cut directly into natural subsoil. Again these formed a straight line extending north–south. A number of stake-holes was also found to cut natural in the south-east corner of the site, without the presence of the creamy layer.

As the excavation progressed westward, two very large, subrectangular, post-medieval pits, possibly associated with the foundry works, were revealed. These truncated a number of smaller medieval pits. Finds from this area included more antler tines, perforated bone, coins, copper alloy objects, stick-pins, polished and cut antler as well as miscellaneous ferrous objects.

A large subcircular cut with a very well-built drystone rectangular structure set into it was revealed. This measured approximately 4m in depth and was filled with red brick. The function of this feature is as yet unclear, but it is possible that it acted as a well.

A small north–south post-medieval drain was located at the southern end of the site, close to its western limit.

A friable to compact grey clay as well as silty layers were noted in the western part of the site. A number of medieval pits were recorded as cutting these layers. Another creamy clay layer, less compact and sticky than the one previously revealed to the east, was recorded under the grey clay and silty layers. Two large pits directly truncated this layer. A frequent amount of medieval pottery and animal bone, including fish bone, were revealed in these pits. A shell fill in the more easterly pit contained large fragments of a decorated casket mount, as well as fragments of a bone comb.

At the western end of the site, slightly east of the above-mentioned small post-medieval drain, a grave-cut with the remains of one east–west-oriented individual was recorded. The grave-cut directly truncated the orange natural subsoil. A number of pits containing medieval pottery and animal bone also cut the natural subsoil in this south-western corner of the site. Finds from the south-western area included cut antler, antler tines, perforated bone, iron slag and ferrous objects.

Post-excavation analysis is ongoing at the time of writing.