2012:209 - DUBLIN: Green Street District Metered Area (DC000143), Dublin

Monitoring of ground works associated with the Green Street DMA as part of the Dublin Region Watermain Rehabilitation Project, was carried out intermittently between February and April 2012. The works involved open cut within the entire DMA, including within the vicinity of St Mary’s Abbey (DU019-02048) on Arran Street East and Little Mary’s Street and a riverine revetment (DU018-114) at Little Strand Street.

The process of rehabilitation involved either the exposure of the existing water main or the excavation of a new trench for a new lay (pipe). The trenches typically measured approximately 0.6m wide and ranged from 0.6m to 1.2m deep. In some cases, a larger area was opened to fully expose the junction between a number of water mains.

Following the removal of the tarmac surface and underlying hardcore, a series of post-medieval deposits were exposed, typically containing building waste and generally cut by a large number of both active and obsolete service pipes and ducts. Undisturbed subsoil was not uncovered in any of the trenches.

Two sections of extant structural features were uncovered on the eastern side of Arran Street East, in two insertion pits. The remains consisted of north–south running walls, both of mixed rough cut stone and red brick construction. The northern section of wall was located opposite No. 2 Arran Street East and as exposed, was 0.42 high by 0.4–0.45m wide (full width was not uncovered). Four courses were uncovered, the lower two composed of regularly coursed red brick and the upper two of rough cut limestone of varying size. The bonding material consisted of white lime mortar.

The southern wall was located some 10m south on the western side of a large commercial premises on the Arran Street East/Ormond Quay junction. As exposed it measured 0.43m high by 0.22m wide (full width not uncovered). Six courses were exposed, the lower two were of rough cut limestone, the middle two of red brick and the upper two were of limestone. The bonding material consisted of white lime mortar.

It is likely that both walls were once part of the same building, most probably cellars of 18^th–19^th-century date.