2011:227 - RAHENY: Capuchin Friary, Dublin

The site of ‘Ratheny Windmill’ is recorded within the grounds of the Capuchin Friary. The windmill is depicted on Rocque’s map of 1760 but had gone out of use by 1815 and is not illustrated on Taylor’s map or on the later OS maps. These maps show Belmont House at the location of the present friary.

Previous archaeological investigations carried out within the friary and on adjacent lands did not reveal any remains of the windmill (Tim Coughlan in Excavations 1999, no. 265, 99E0702; Teresa Bolger in Excavations 2000, no. 336, 00E0611; Melanie McQuade in Excavations 2010, no. 290, 10E072). This phase of monitoring at the north-eastern end of the site identified a curvilinear wall foundation that may be the remains of the recorded windmill (DU015-085).

A 0.8m-long stretch of wall foundation and the remains of a metalled floor were uncovered and have been preserved in situ. The wall was constructed of calp limestone blocks, red brick and granite blocks bonded with mortar and appeared to be faced internally. It lay 0.6m below existing ground and was 0.5m wide and 0.2m high.

No further structural remains were identified but building rubble that had probably derived from the upper structure of the windmill was uncovered to the east. The insertion of modern services had caused much ground disturbance to the south-west of the foundation remains.