2012:236 - MALAHIDE CASTLE AND DEMESNE, Dublin

The grounds of Malahide Demesne contain sites, buildings and features listed on the Record of Monuments and Places and the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage compiled by the Department of the Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht. In accordance with Part XI of the Planning and Development Act 2000, planning permission was granted by Fingal County Council for an extensive restoration, upgrade and new construction project at Malahide Castle, Courtyards and Botanic Garden. The upgrade and replacement of all existing services, gas, drainage and water supply was required as well as a new 350 space surface car park, new planting areas, upgrades to existing paths and new signage.

Monitoring of ground works at Malahide Demesne commenced in June 2011 and continued on almost continuous basis, to October 2012 (see also Excavations 2011, No. 223). The initial phase of works consisted of the excavation of a series of service trenches across a considerable area of the demesne, including areas adjacent to Malahide Castle (DU012-030---) and a late medieval church and graveyard (DU012-031001-6). Approximately 4.5km of combined trench length was excavated in total.

Identified features of archaeological significance included a number of cobbled surfaces including remnants of a probable late medieval courtyard to the north-east of the castle, a group of broadly east-west running ditches, some of which related to a possible enclosure identified by geophysical survey in the lawn south-east of the castle, and pits below the modern surfaces both within and west of the stable yard.

Works inside the castle uncovered a number of hitherto hidden structural features, including a set of steps at the north-west corner of the oldest hall house part of the castle, an early possible enclosing wall identified below the Butler’s House as well as a substantial ditch, which was sealed by the likely late medieval courtyard and probably originally enclosed the 15^th-century hall house.

The skeletal remains of four individuals were identified in a trench beneath the road running past the north-western end of the church and graveyard. These remains were uncovered at a depth of approximately 0.5m below the road surface and were aligned east to west. All four individuals were truncated at the west by a modern service trench.

Monitoring of ground works associated with the creation of an overflow car park uncovered three elongated pits, perhaps grain dryers, in the centre of the area and these were partially excavated. No dating material was recovered but they may predate the 18th and 19th centuries.

The subsoil on the eastern side of the main southern avenue was disturbed and contained large amounts of 18th-19^th-century material, including building rubble, perhaps indicating that a structure or structures once existed in this area. Remains of structural features of post-medieval date were also identified below the main southern avenue and in the car park south of the stable yard and a number of culverted drains were identified across the demesne.

EOIN HALPIN AND JANE WHITAKER, Archaeological Development Services, Unit 4, 1st Floor, The Print House, Cumberland Street South, Dublin 2