County: Dublin Site name: DUBLIN: 29–31 Island Street
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 03E0840
Author: Claire Walsh
Site type: Historic town
Period/Dating: Post Medieval (AD 1600-AD 1750)
ITM: E 714350m, N 734222m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.345852, -6.282634
Test excavation of a site at Usher’s Island in July 2003 uncovered archaeological deposits of late 17th-century date overlying naturally deposited river silts. Excavation over a three-week period followed, revealing the following sequence.
The lowest level was of sterile river-deposited silts more than 0.5m in depth. Limited removal of these silts uncovered a band of water-deposited wattle-like wood which overlay natural gravel; one of these wands had been trimmed at one end. There was, however, no structural evidence at this level, and the timbers were naturally deposited by the Liffey. There were no medieval levels present on this site.
A partly stone-lined gully, probably for drainage, led towards the river. The gully was filled with later 17th-century material, which included some residual medieval finds. The area was used for widespread dumping, mostly from stabling, giving the name in the 18th century of ‘Dunghill Lane’. Foundations of mid-18th-century buildings and later cobbled yards, etc., were recorded. No finds of interest were recovered.
27 Coulson Avenue, Rathgar, Dublin 6
