2004:0580 - DUBLIN: 4 Proud's Lane, Dublin

Two test-trenches were excavated on 5 May 2004 at 4 Proud's Lane, Dublin 2, a small laneway running from the western side of St Stephen's Green to York Street. The site was a narrow, L-shaped, concreted vacant lot due to be developed into a three-storey dwelling. The construction was to be founded on a concrete float supported by single concrete piles running along the perimeter of the building. Since the site was situated within the zone of archaeological potential of Dublin (SMR 18:20), the planning authorities requested that an assessment be carried out before on-site works began.

In Trench A, which ran north-south and measured 14m by 1.5m, a modern sewage pipe running down the centre of the trench was encountered at a depth of 0.9m and work had to be discontinued. Trench B ran east-west and was 6.5m by 1.5m. In the western end of this trench, at a depth of around 1.3m below the current ground surface, was natural yellow clay containing frequent small flecks of charcoal, which had been sealed by a wash of lime-based material. This seems to have been an earth floor, probably the remains of the cellar of a former house. It was overlain by a deposit of ash and clinker containing charcoal, animal bone, cockle shells, clay pipe fragments and pottery, including some large sherds of slip-trailed red earthenware, representing domestic refuse, probably from the 18th century. These deposits were cut by a brick drain, capped with large flat stones, probably 19th century in date. A silt deposit in the bottom of the drain was sterile and odourless, suggesting that it was a storm drain rather than a sewer. The drain ran in an east-west direction and probably exited into the culverted Stein River, which formerly ran along the western edge of the site. Monitoring of the subsequent piling work detected the remains of a brick-built culvert here, probably that of the river.

Windsor House, 11 Fairview Strand, Fairview, Dublin 3