2012:205 - MATER HOSPITAL, ECCLES STREET, DUBLIN, Dublin

Monitoring of groundworks associated with the construction of an access ramp was carried out intermittently between Oct 2011 and Feb 2012 (see also Excavations 2011, No. 193). The ramp measures 72m by 25m with maximum excavation at 4.5m below present ground level and runs from Eccles Street across an existing car park to connect with an existing underground car park.

Immediately underlying the old carpark surface was a layer of loose mixed overburden, 0.6–1.5m thick. This contained a large quantity of red brick and mortared stone – building debris from demolished structures of 18^th–20^th-century in date. This layer was criss-crossed with modern service trenches and a considerable quantity of cobblestones was noted amongst the debris, towards the northerly end of the site.

Underlying the overburden was a layer of light grey brown silty clay, 0.05–0.6m thick. This contained occasional inclusions of shell and post-medieval pottery. In general, it immediately overlay subsoil.

Two subsoil-cut features were identified, a circular well and a north–south running drain as well as a number of east–west running plough marks.

The well was located at the northern end of the carpark, directly overlain with the foundations of two parallel, east–west running concrete walls. The well had not been filled in after falling out of use and still contained standing water, though no covering was found. As soon as the overlying concrete walls were being demolished, the well filled with collapsed debris rendering any close investigation extremely hazardous. From what could be determined was that the well was constructed from relatively evenly coursed dry stone walling within a cut some 1.6m in diameter and in excess of 2m deep. A thin deposit of light-mid brown silty clay was visible between the walling and well cut, containing occasional small fragments of red brick. The top of the well was uncovered at a height of 14.6m OD.

The drain was identified below the overburden layer, cutting into subsoil. It was constructed from red and yellow brick, with a slate covering. It ran from the north-western corner of the site and could be traced for approximately half way along the area of construction, towards Eccles Street. The drain measured 0.56m in external width, 0.32m in internal width and c. 0.6m in depth.

The well is likely to be of 18^th-century date and would have been located in the rear plots of the buildings fronting onto what was then Stable Lane (now Eccles Place) or if it predated the mid-18^th century, relates to the site when being used for agriculture.

The location of a concentration of cobbles in the overburden at the northern end of the site suggests that Stable Lane was originally of cobble construction.

The drain was aligned with the plot boundaries depicted on the 1^st and 2^nd edition OS maps and appears to follow a pathway marked in a rear garden of a house fronting onto Eccles Lane Lower, on the OS map of 1847.

Archaeological Development Services, Unit 4, 1st Floor, The Print House, Cumberland Street South, Dublin 2