2006:1285 - Barrington’s Hostel, George’s Quay/Mary Street, Limerick, Limerick

An assessment was carried out of a site proposed for development at the corner of George’s Quay and Mary Street in Limerick city. The work consisted of desk-based study, standing building recording and test-trenching. The investigation was carried out in support of a planning application for a guesthouse and office development. Two trenches were excavated, one close to Mary Street and the other parallel to George’s Quay. In the Mary Street trench a number of stone and brick built walls and foundations were uncovered underneath deep levelling deposits. The substantial stone walls in this location are thought to relate to the large, classically-influenced building called the Mont de Piété. Built in 1836 and demolished in 1892, this building ranked among the more remarkable in 19th-century Limerick. It originally functioned as a charitable pawnshop and later became a police station. The other trench, on the George’s Quay side, identified buildings dating from the late 18th or early 19th century with large cellars. Any archaeology pre-dating the 18th century on this frontage was destroyed by the construction of the cellars.