2014:102 - Newmarket Square/Mill Street/Mill Lane, Dublin 8, Dublin

Monitoring was carried out of ground works for the new Teeling Whiskey Company Distillery at Newmarket Square/Mill Street/Mill Lane, Dublin 8 in September 2014. The development works for the project were divided into two areas, Area I and Area II.

Area I, forming the northern half of site, comprised a demolished warehouse. Inspection of the site prior to groundworks revealed a substantial levelling deposit up to 1m in depth. A small number of probable 18th-century brick fragments were recovered from the surface of the deposit, although these were not related to any in situ archaeological deposits. Due to the nature of the construction method for the piling it was not possible to undertake monitoring of further ground disturbance in Area I.

Area II, the southern half of site, was sub-divided into Area II (a) and Area II (b). Area II (a) consisted of a 5m x 10m space within the warehouse which was excavated to a depth of 1.4m to accommodate a vehicle loading bay. Area II (b) comprised the external yard which linked the existing street level and the vehicle loading bay. Removal of modern levelling deposits from Area II (a) revealed a partially disturbed industrial structure with a terminus ante quem in the early 19th century. The industrial building had been constructed within a levelling deposit containing a substantial number of ceramic, metallurgical and glass artefacts ranging in date from the 17th to 19th century. A sondage excavated through the levelling deposit revealed a waterlogged layer considered to be a possible infilled water channel.

Removal of modern levelling deposits in Area II (b) revealed a levelling deposit of similar composition and artefact inclusions to that recorded within Area I (a). Underlying the levelling deposit in this area a partially disturbed metalled surface was uncovered which was considered to be mid-17th to 18th century in date.

All archaeological surfaces exposed during groundworks were covered with geotextile and sand/hardcore road stone to prevent further impingement on deposits. Following the completion of groundworks in Area II, no further monitoring works were deemed necessary on the development site.

A total of 178 sherds of post-medieval pottery were presented for study to Clare McCutcheon. Following identification and some reassembly, this was reduced to 168 sherds. The assemblage dates broadly from the mid-17th to the early 20th century and appears to be a varied household group with bottles, plates and an unusually wide variety of chamber pots. In addition, 204 small finds were also retrieved including clay pipe bowls and stems dating from the mid to late 17th century. Three examples of early 17th-century clay pipe bowls were identified. Several pieces of glass including three sherds of possible 17th-century wares were also identified. One of the glass pieces may be the base of an early 17th-century wine bottle. The assemblage can be said to mainly date from the mid-17th to the early 20th century, although the majority of artefacts can be attributed a terminus ante quem of the late 18th century.

IAC Ltd, Unit G1, Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow