Dublin City Archaeological Archive/State Apartments, Dublin Castle (11E0137) Collection

Context

Creator(s): Archaeological Development Services Ltd

• Administrative History ↴

  Archaeological Development Services Limited (ADS) was set up in 1990 and is based in Kells, Co. Meath (Unit D, Kells Business Park, Cavan Road, Kells, Co. Meath). Archaeological Development Services Ltd. services all types of projects, from small-scale rural development initiatives, to large-scale infrastructure schemes. ADS carries out archaeological investigations under the requirements of the Planning and Development Acts (2000) and the National Monuments Acts and Amendments (1930-2004). A series of four masonry wall foundations, from three different phases of construction, were discovered during archaeological monitoring of the excavation of a lift pit (4.9m by 3.35m) in the State Apartments. These were subsequently investigated by hand excavation. The earliest wall had an arched foundation and was constructed limestone blocks bonded with lime mortar. It was 0.90m wide and 0.80m high was on the same alignment as the 16th-century wall that delimited the Presence chamber and the closet (illustrated on the 1673 plan of the castle). However, the location of the wall did not exactly correspond with that illustrated on the plan, suggesting that it may be an earlier medieval wall. The northern end of this wall was truncated during the next phase of building, which was represented by a wall constructed of masonry and brick. This wall corresponds with one illustrated on Robinson’s map of 1684 and its remains measured 0.40m wide by 1.25m high. The eastern end of this wall had been truncated during the third building phase, which was represented by two abutting walls of masonry and red brick construction. These walls are illustrated on Alfray’s map of 1767. The larger of the two walls was 1.20m wide and c. 1.10m in high. The abutting wall was 0.90m wide and 1.10m high. The earliest wall was preserved in situ. The upper courses of the late 17th-century wall and the mid-18th-century walls were removed and they were reduced by c. 0.40m in height in order to allow for the construction of the lift. Finds recovered during excavation include sherds of 17th and 18th century pottery (North Devon Gravel tempered ware, Sgraffito, red glazed and black glazed earthenware). Numerous sherds of painted window glass were also recovered. This glass awaits specialist analysis but was almost certainly from one of the castle buildings, possibly the chapel that was reportedly located beneath the state apartments (Maguire 1974). REFERENCES Maguire, J.B. 1974 Seventeenth Century Plans of Dublin Castle, JRSAI 104, 5-14.

• Archival History ↴

  Transferred by Melanie McQuade to Dublin City Archives 5 November 2013

• Immediate Source Acquisition ↴

  Donation