2005:437 - DUBLIN: 29–30 Fishamble Street, Dublin

The site is located in the centre of the historic core of medieval Dublin, fronting directly onto the western side of Fishamble Street. It is positioned just outside the Viking wall in an area that originally formed part of the foreshore of the River Liffey. However, this area was subsequently reclaimed in the mid-13th century when the original Viking wall (which extended along Essex Street West) was replaced with a new wall, reflected in the modern alignment of Lower Exchange Street. The area between Essex Street West and Lower Exchange Street was reclaimed with deposits of organic refuse, which were held in place with timber revetments. A section through this material was excavated further east at Essex Street West, where these reclamation deposits were found to be over 4m in depth, the upper 2m consisting of river silt deposits sealing 2m of organic refuse. The latter deposits were full of artefacts.

The site assessment was confined to the southern yard of the site, in an area measuring c. 12.7m north–south by 9.5m. The original southern boundary wall, 3.3m in height, is still in position, as is the western front wall, both of which can be dated to the 18th century. Only one test-trench was excavated and the profile was backfill/rubble/brick from 0–2m, cinders deposit mixed with rubble from 2–2.3m, cellar floor and wall from 2.3–2.4m, grey sticky clay with rounded cobbles or stone from 2.4–2.5m, and dark-brown organic material with shell (cockle and mussel), animal bone and birch timber posts at 2.5m. Excavation was halted at this point.

The organic material contained straw, vegetation, wattle fragments, animal bone and shell. Seven posts (birch) were also recovered, which were relatively substantial in size, measuring between 0.08 and 0.15m in diameter. These had roughly faceted tips, suggesting that they were driven into the ground, and loose strands of wattle probably indicate there was some sort of post-and-wattle structure, perhaps a reclamation fence.

The results of the testing confirm the presence of reclamation deposits in this area which, based on other sites in the vicinity, are probably 4m in depth. The testing also confirmed that elements of the 18th-century terrace of buildings which originally fronted onto this side of the street also survive to c. 2.4m in depth. The proposed new development will not have a basement and will be piled. This site was tested on behalf of Dublin City Council.

27 Merrion Square, Dublin 2