County: Dublin Site name: St James church and graveyard and 123-125 James St
Sites and Monuments Record No.: DU018- 020 346 Licence number: 14E0129 and ministerial consent C000689/E0004603
Author: Aisling Collins ACAS
Site type: Church and graveyard and adjoining buildings 123-125 James St
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 713897m, N 733970m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.343683, -6.289528
The site is at St James Church and graveyard Dublin 8 The church is being restored and currently being turned into a whiskey distillery and visitor centre. It within the Zone of Archaeological Constraint for the Recorded Monuments DU018-020346 (Church and Graveyard) and DU018-020 (Dublin City), which are subject to statutory protection under Section 12 of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994.
There are records of a 12th C medieval church at St James prior to the 1707 and current 1860 church.
Over 200 previously unknown burials were excavated and date from the medieval period up to the 18th century. A high percentage of finds date to the 17th and 18th centuries but there is also medieval archaeology present.
A small section of a possible enclosing ditch or water course with pottery dating it to the 12th-14th century was found on the north side of the church.
A section of an east-west ditch measuring 5m wide and 1.2m deep x 8m long and 1.10m below present ground level was found running parallel to the present-day James Street. The finds from the upper surfaces dated to early 17th c. The ditch had low clay bank with post holes perhaps associated with post and wattle fence from the original medieval road into Dublin. There was also part of a mettled surface lying at a depth of 080cm below present road level which may be part of the medieval road.
There were 1,444 sherds of pottery which 522 (36%) are medieval in date. A medieval ridge tile was also found ad a possible medieval burial. Post-ex work is ongoing.
Annesley Mews, Brighton Ave, Monkstown, Co Dublin
