2008:443 - St Stephen’s Green, Dublin, Dublin

Ministerial consent for the excavation of four utility slit trenches was granted to the Railway Procurement Agency in October 2008. The proposed slit trenches are located within the national monument of St Stephen’s Green and are associated with the proposed Metro North light rail service.
To date only one trench has been excavated in St Stephen’s Green. This trench was positioned adjacent to the east face of Fusiliers’ Arch. It was excavated in order to facilitate the development of a detailed methodology for the safeguarding and conservation of Fusiliers’ Arch during works associated with the construction of the proposed Metro North. In particular the slit trench was excavated to identify the extent, condition and composition of the foundations for Fusiliers’ Arch, which was constructed in 1907.
The trench was excavated into parts Trench 1A and Trench 1B. The former was excavated adjacent to the south-west pillar, the latter adjacent to the north-east pillar.
Trench 1A measured 4.9m north-east/south-west by 0.92m by 1.5m in depth. The stratigraphy comprised 0.13m concrete overlying 0.41m compact dark black/brown silt-clay with 30% inclusions of medium to large stones, slate, red brick, slipware and glass (C2). The basal deposit comprised 0.96m of compact yellow/brown silty-clay with inclusions of animal bone, blackware slipware, Frechen ware, clay-pipe fragments and oyster shell.
Trench 1B measured 3.35m north-east/south-west by 1m by 0.93m in depth. The stratigraphy comprised 0.13m concrete overlying 0.35m compact dark black/brown silt-clay with 30% inclusions of medium to large stones, slate, red brick, slipware and blackware (C2). The basal deposit comprised 0.45m compact yellow/brown silty clay with inclusions of animal bone, slipware, clay-pipe fragments and oyster shell (C3). Both trenches incorporated the remains of concrete piers possibly representing the remains of the gate piers which stood at this location prior to the erection of Fusiliers’ Arch. The foundations of Fusiliers’ Arch were generally encountered at a depth of 0.18m from the existing ground surface.
A metal detection survey of the spoil was also undertaken, supervised by Damian Shiels of Headland Archaeology Ltd (R139). The small finds assemblage would suggest a 19th/20th-century date for C2. C2 was partially disturbed by the construction of Fusiliers’ Arch, suggesting it pre-dates the construction date of 1907. The inclusion of Frechen ware and blackware in addition to clay-pipe fragments in C3 implies that the debris incorporated into this context probably dates to the 18th century. This layer is interpreted as a fill layer and may relate to general landscaping activities which occurred throughout the history of St Stephen’s Green.