Dublin City Archaeological Archive/Smithfield Distillery Site (95E0108) 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). The assessment took place on the 1.5-acre site of the disused distillery at Smithfield, which is bounded by Bow St., Friary Lane and Church St. New, between 12 and 30 June 1995. The work was carried out at the request of the developer, Heritage Properties Ltd.Though there is no direct archaeological or historical evidence to suggest that this particular site in Smithfield was occupied during medieval times, the site is probably situated in one of the most historically important areas of Dublin, north of the Liffey. From the evidence of historical maps and records, it may be in the centre of the area of Oxmantown, the earliest Viking settlement north of the Liffey. It is only a few metres away from the present boundary wall of the medieval ecclesiastical site of St Michan's, which was founded in the late 11th century. The site comprises a complex of many buildings, all related to the old distillery, many of which will be preserved. All through the site, foundations for massive structures, huge vat-stands, pits and networks of deep cellaring had disturbed the ground well below natural subsoil. Though trial-trenches and test-pits were cut at 17 different points, no layers, finds or features of any archaeological significance, or warranting further investigation, were found during the trial-trenching.

• Archival History ↴

  Transferred by Judith Carroll to Dublin City Archives 26 February 2014

• Immediate Source Acquisition ↴

  Donation