Dublin City Archaeological Archive/Judith Carroll Excavations 1997 Collection

Context

Creator(s): Judith Carroll and Co Ltd

• Administrative History ↴

  Judith Carroll and Company, Archaeological Consultants (11-13 Anglesea Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2), are a group of professional archaeologists based in Dublin but working countrywide. They offer a wide range of archaeological services to both public and private clients; carrying out excavations, assessments, trial testing and monitoring for developments of all scales. Judith Carroll and Co. have produced a number of publications including "Dublin city: sources for archaeologists" (2003) and reports on excavations at Balrothery, Co. Dublin (2008). Judith Carroll and Co. carry out archaeological investigations under the Planning and Development Acts (2000) and the National Monuments Acts and Amendments (1930-2004). This collection encompasses a number of archaeological investigations carried out in Dublin city by Judith Carroll and Co. Ltd. in 1997. It includes the following sites: 97E0380 - Vicar Street/58-59 Thomas Street The site is outside the city walls of medieval Dublin. Directly across Thomas Street is St John the Baptist's Hospital of the Fratres Cruciferi. Situated outside the New Gate, this hospital for the poor and infirm was founded by Ailred Palmer between 1185 and 1188. This may account for the depth of the pits and the huge quantity and variety of medieval pottery found on the site, as well as the ironworking layers of medieval date. Archaeological excavation took place in advance of development at Vicar Street in October-November 1997. Trial-trenching had already taken place at the beginning of October 1997 and evidence of archaeological stratigraphy was found on the site. The site is composed of two properties facing onto Thomas Street. Both properties are cellared.The cellaring cut through the archaeological layers on the site, destroying all but a pit which survived at the north end of No. 58 Thomas Street. In the backyard area of No. 59, at the south end of the property, deep archaeological layers survived. In Cutting 1 was found a pit defined by a row of stakes. At its north end, where it may have run further north (under the present main road), it was cut off by the front wall of No. 58. It was cut off by a cellar wall to the east and post-medieval disturbance to the west. There was a row of stakes on the south side of the pit. It produced much leather, animal bone, iron slag and medieval pottery. The medieval pottery is of late 12th- to 13th-century date, comprising Dublin-type wares. Cutting 2 revealed a number of features. These were divided into organic wood deposits and deposits containing dark gritty material with slag-waste and charcoal. One feature was a long channel containing light brown-grey organic material with wood fragments. Further excavation revealed two small pits. One, Pit A, was found to have a base of red oxidised clay which had been exposed to intense heat. In the pit were also found the remains of what appeared to be a large basin of extremely rough clay and a fired ceramic plug. To the south of this pit, clearly related to it, was Pit B, which produced layers of iron waste, furnace waste, dark soil and medieval pottery. A very large quantity of iron slag was also found. Though further study of the features associated with ironworking will take place, it seems that Pit A was an ironworking furnace while Pit B might have had some other function in the process. The evidence suggests that the pit at the north end of the site and the ironworking features on the south end were probably contemporary and that they formed the earliest level of occupation in this part of the city. Unlicenced monitoring - Hill 16 pub, Middle Gardnier Street No archaeological significance Unlicenced monitoring - Royal Hospital Kilmainham No archaeological significance Unlicenced monitoring - Rotunda Hospital No archaeological significance 97E0460 - Rotunda Hospital No archaeological significance

• Archival History ↴

  Transferred by Judith Carroll to Dublin City Archives 26 February 2014

• Immediate Source Acquisition ↴

  Donation