County: Dublin Site name: 55 William Street South, Dublin
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 17E0259
Author: Teresa Bolger, Rubicon Heritage Services Ltd
Site type: Urban post-medieval
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 715698m, N 733802m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.341783, -6.262556
A programme of monitoring was undertaken at 55 South William Street, Dublin 2 between 3 May 2017 and 19 October 2018 on behalf of Friends First Life Assurance Company DAC. Monitoring was required as a condition of the planning permission issued by Dublin City Council (Planning Ref. 3925/14).
The main building at No. 55 William Street South is a four-storey over basement red-brick building dating from the second half of the 18th century. Both the interior and exterior have undergone considerable alteration since that period and a modern extension has been added to the rear. However significant original features do survive on the upper floors including joinery and decorative plasterwork.
As part of this development, the existing building has been refurbished and will undergo a change of use from light industrial/wholesale to café and offices. The refurbishment and alteration of the building required the demolition and remodelling of the 20th-century two-storey rear extension and the construction of a new fires escape stairs and associated circulation spaces at the rear. Ground reduction within the basement of the original building was required to facilitate new drainage and service connections.
Monitoring of the proposed development revealed no archaeologically significant features or deposits. A lintelled drain and well/pump relating to the original building—constructed by Simon Vierpyl between 1765 and 1772—were identified. A section of the drain was removed to facilitate the new foundations, while the well/pump was retained in situ.
No further archaeological work should be required in connection with this development.
Office 8, Dominick Court, 41 Dominick St. Lower, Dublin 1
