Dublin
1995:093
11-14 Ushers Quay, Dublin
Medieval urban
O314234
95E119
The site lies immediately to the west (outside) of the Anglo-Norman town ditch of Dublin on the north-west corner of the medieval town. Two watercourses, the Camac and the Glib, entered the Liffey in this area. It is depicted on Clarke's (1978) map of medieval Dublin as the site of the original Áth Cliath, the ford of the hurdles.

Six machine trenches were opened to assess the medieval remains on the site on 12 June 1995, funded by Zoe Developments Ltd. The surviving depth of river silts varied from 2.4m at the north-east end of the site to 0.6-0.8m at the south end of the site. No finds, apart from animal bone and marine shell, were noted, and no structural remains of medieval date were uncovered. The results concur with the cartographic evidence of Speed's map, indicating that the area was shallow open water until the first buildings were erected here probably in the early part of the 18th century.
Claire Walsh, 15 St Brigid's Rd Upper, Drumcondra, Dublin 9.

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