County: Dublin Site name: KILMAINHAM: Former Nestlé Factory Site, 34–38 Inchicore Road/South Circular Road
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 00E0183 ext.
Author: E. Eoin Sullivan, for Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd.
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 712626m, N 733826m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.342665, -6.308648
The site of the proposed development was previously assessed by Ian W. Doyle and Margaret Gowen on the basis of a series of mechanically excavated test-trenches (Excavations 2000, No. 308, and Excavations 2001, No. 435). At that time the factorybuildings survived on the site and hence restricted any form of testing within the footprint of the buildings. Prior to the commencement of any groundworks, the client, on the advice of the archaeological consultant, requested additional testing within the footprint of the now demolished factory buildings.
The Kilmainham area is noted for the presence of Viking artefacts recovered during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The main Galway-Dublin railway line defines the northern boundary of the site. The site is located 20m to the west of the historic Bully's Acre cemetery.
The site was assessed on the basis of seven mechanically excavated test-trenches. Three of the trenches were located at the western portion of the site. The trenches (oriented in an east-west direction) ran parallel to one another and measured 80m in length. The northernmost trench contained several separate levels of concrete flooring associated with different parts of the factory structure. The southern and middle trenches revealed a similar stratigraphy, consisting of concrete flooring overlying a compact brown/black clay, which in turn overlay a compact orange/brown clay. The depth of the subsoil increased from the western to the eastern portion of the site. No features of archaeological significance were encountered within any of the trenches.
A fourth trench was located at the eastern portion of the site, parallel with a previously excavated test-trench (Excavations 2001, op. cit.). The trench was oriented in a north-south direction and measured 51m in length. It revealed the disturbed nature of the ground, associated with the extraction of gravel from a gravel pit, as indicated on the OS map of 1832.
Three smaller test-trenches were excavated along the eastern perimeter of the site, perpendicular to South Circular Road. The trenches were oriented in an east-west direction and measured between 9m and 14m in length. The trenches revealed the disturbed nature of the ground, which consisted of in excess of 3.6m of built-up ground, following the use of the site as a gravel pit. Several levels of reinforced concrete were located through each of the three trenches. No features of archaeological significance were encountered during the excavation of the trenches.
As a result of the three phases of testing on the site, a programme for the bulk removal of material from the site was agreed with the statutory authorities. Due to the location of the site within close proximity to Bully's Acre, Kilmainham Gaol and the railway track, it was recommended that all groundworks be monitored.
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