2008:403 - Dublin Port, Dublin

A detailed survey was carried out of a section of timber wreckage located within the seabed impact area associated with the proposed Dublin Gateway Project. The section of wreckage lies partially exposed within a sandbar c. 450m east of the current reclamation extent of the North Port. The current assessment represents the second phase of archaeological work at the site, carried out following an initial assessment undertaken by ADCO in April 2008 (see No. 402 above).
The Phase 1 site inspection was conducted as a non-disturbance assessment to confirm the presence of the wreck-site within the proposed development area and to record its precise location. This inspection identified a substantial wreck site measuring 18m by 6.9m in extent. A differential GPS unit was used to plot the vessel’s extent and position-fix the site in relation to the proposed port extension works. The survey identified two areas of seabed overburden, located along the north-west and south-west of the site. A systematic probe survey was undertaken to delineate those sections of wreckage buried within the sandbank. A metal-detection survey was carried out to identify the presence/absence of iron fastenings within the wreck structure. The site inspection documented the visible limit of the wreck site and allowed a methodology for further investigation of the wreckage to be devised. It was necessary to undertake further archaeological work at the wreck site to fully record the structure and ascertain a possible date range and typology for the vessel.
The Phase 2 archaeological work was carried out on 4–6 June 2008. This investigation sought to more fully record the nature and extent of the vessel by removing the previously identified sand/silt overburden and by sampling suitable timbers for dendrochronological analysis. Each individual plank/framing timber was planned and all fastenings used in the vessel’s construction were recorded, including trunnels/treenails (timber dowels), iron pins and a sample number of iron nail holes. A detailed account of vessel construction and the existing condition of the wreck structure was made and a methodology for possible further excavation, recording, and removal of the wreck was devised.
The wreck is orientated in a north-east to south-west direction with the bow located to the south, and the stern to the north. The wreck remains in a medium-good state of preservation and, despite severe erosion of any exposed timbers, those timbers that remained buried were found to be in a good state of preservation. The western side of the vessel remains partially intact, lying heeled-over onto its starboard side with the in situ keel timber leaning at approximately a 45° angle towards starboard. It is evident that the tumblehome (curvature) of the starboard side of the hull is no longer intact, the structure having flattened-out within the sandbank. A single in situ planking timber remains on the eastern (port) side of the keel, along with a couple of disarticulated planking timbers. The hull is of carvel (edge fastened) construction, held in place by robust composite framing timbers that provide structural integrity to the vessel. Possible wooden sheathing or sacrificial planking was identified lying beneath the hull planking at the southern end of wreck. These sacrificial planks are of softwood composition (probably yellow pine) and are narrower in both width and depth than the hardwood planks that form the hull.
The main components of the vessel are all composed of hardwood (oak) timbers, only the possible timber sheathing being composed of a softwood species. The vessel lies disarticulated into three wreck sections: Wreck Section 1 defines the eastern extent of the site, Wreck Section 2 the western limit of the site, and Wreck Section 3 the north-west limit of the site (see figure).
Wreck Section 1 comprises the keel, associated composite timbers, seven heavily eroded flooring timbers (frames), a possible keelson timber and a series of planking timbers located on the starboard side of the vessel. Wreck Section 1 measures 17m (north-north-east/south-south-west) by 2.5m in visible extent (excluding any disarticulated timbers). A possible sternpost is located at the northern end of Wreck Section 1, orientated east–west, at a near right angle to the keel timber. The keel, the principle longitudinal timber that forms the backbone of the hull assemblage, appears to be formed of a single timber measuring c. 15.7m (51.5ft) in length, by 0.18m (7in) in its sided dimension (width), no scarp joins being evident along its extent. The moulded dimension (depth) of the keel timber is yet to be established, only 0.12m of the side of the keel being visible above the seabed. An incised groove (keel rabbet) is present along either side of the keel, c. 0.03m from the top of the timber; this rabbet being designed to accommodate the edge of the garboard strake (lowermost plank). The rabbet is exposed on the port side while the garboard strake remains in situ on the starboard side.
The sternpost is composite in nature, a possible false sternpost being attached its north side. Both timbers are fastened together using a combination of iron pins and iron strapping. It would appear that the sternpost assemblage has fallen away from the keel and landed on its port side, the timber having rotated so that the outer-face of the sternpost is now lying to the south. The sternpost measures 3.3m (10ft 8in) in length by 0.19m (7.4in) in its moulded dimension. The false sternpost measures 3m (9ft 8in) in length by 0.26m (10.2in) in its moulded dimension.
Wreck Section 2 comprises three ceiling planks overlying seventeen framing timbers (futtocks), which in turn overlie three large planking timbers. Wreck Section 2 is orientated in a north–south direction and measures 4.5m (north–south) by 1.3m in visible extent. The south-eastern side of this section is partially obscured by an area of overburden. Wreck Section 2 is located c. 2m west of Wreck Section 1.
Wreck Section 3 lies 3.2m west of the keel and 1m west of the western end of the composite sternpost from Wreck Section 1. It measures 3.2m (10ft 4in) east–west by 1m (3ft 2in) in extent. Wreck Section 3 is composed of six plank-lines, comprising of seven planking timbers, running in an east-south-east to west-north-west direction. The planking timbers are in a good state of preservation, only being eroded along their western limit. They measure between 2.5m (min.) and 3m (max.) in length and are between 0.17m (min.) and 0.28m (max.) in width. The heavily eroded residue of two framing timbers is located along the eastern side of the wreck section, running in a north-north-east/south-south-west direction. The distribution of in situ trunnels across the planking timbers suggests that this section of wreck was heavily framed, up to ten framing timbers being present. A total of 69 in situ trunnels and one trunnel hole are located across this section of wreckage. It is thought that this section represents a portion of the starboard transom (lying on its outer face).
Trunnels (wooden dowels) represent the main fastening component used throughout the three identified wreck sections, a total of 100 trunnels and 26 trunnel holes being recorded. These fastenings were used to fasten the outer planking timbers to the framing assemblage. They measure a uniform 0.03–0.031m in diameter.
A series of 0.02m-diameter iron pins have been used to fasten the flooring timbers to the keel. These in turn would have secured the keelson, now disarticulated, to the flooring timbers to increase keel rigidity. In addition, a number of iron fastenings, used in tandem with trunnel fastenings, have been used to hold the flooring timbers and futtocks in place.
Nail holes are located at each of the plank ends. It was not possible as part of this phase of the survey to record the location of all nail holes across the wreck site and only an exemplar sample were recorded on the wreck plan. However, it was noted that each plank had a minimum of three equidistantly placed nail holes, c. 10mm, from each plank-end. These are square in profile and measure 4mm by 4mm. At present it is unclear whether or not these nail holes have a stopwater on the plank’s outer face to prevent corrosion of the nail head.
Two samples were taken for dendrochronological (tree-ring dating) analysis. The first sample was removed from a planking timber at the southern end of the third strake-line. The second sample was removed from a medium well-preserved, partially-buried framing timber (futtock) located on the eastern side of the keel timber. The timber samples have been submitted to an external lab to be processed by a dendrochronologist.
Vessel construction and the presence of wooden sheathing suggest that the wreck is 18th- to early 19th-century in date. At present it is not possible to pinpoint vessel typology. However, given our current knowledge of the site, it is likely that the vessel would have comprised a single hold with single overlying deck area. No mast-step(s) is present within the visible wreck assemblage and, as such, it is not possible to ascertain the nature of the vessel’s rigging elements.