County: Dublin Site name: Drimnagh Castle, Drimnagh
Sites and Monuments Record No.: DU018–035 Licence number: 04E1673
Author: Eoin Sullivan, for Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd, 27 Merrion Square, Dublin 2.
Site type: Watermill (site)
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 711138m, N 731965m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.326265, -6.331631
The site of the development was the former Drimnagh Industrial Estate, located to the north of Drimnagh Castle. The topographically higher southern portion of the site was closest to Drimnagh Castle and the lower southern portion contained the bed of the Cammock River. The development consists of 241 dwellings, a crèche, 132 living/working units and office accommodation.
The site of a watermill was indicated on the development site. The Drimnagh paper mill marked on the OS maps probably occupies the site of the mill marked on the Down Survey maps of 1655. The Civil Survey of 1654 mentions a mill at Drimnagh, along with a habitable castle and chapel.
The southern half of the site had been scarped in the past to enable the construction of the buildings of the industrial estate. The northern portion contained a concrete slab covering, which was retained as part of the development. The entire site was assessed on the basis of twelve mechanically excavated test-trenches. Nearly all the trenches revealed modern disturbed ground. No features or soils of archaeological significance were encountered during the excavation of the trenches.
Subsequent monitoring of the groundworks associated with the removal of the standing buildings and lowering of the ground level at the southern portion of the site did not reveal any features of archaeological significance.
