The excavation of the lost mansion is now in its fourth year. The building dates back to 1873 and was once intended as the official residence of the Taoiseach before it was destroyed by a fire in 1943.
Over the past couple of weeks, more than 250 volunteers have participated in the dig as part of a community archaeology programme run by Dublin City Council during Heritage Week.
“The pattern of the tiles really struck everyone with how beautiful and colourful they were and how they survived over such a long period of time,” said archaeologist and project site director, James Kyle.
“It captured people’s imagination, and we could really see these were the tiles on the floor of the porch and how ornate it was in there.
“When we found the tile monogrammed with Arthur Guinness’s initials, it was significant too. It was a personal touch to one of the wealthy individuals who lived in the house,” he added.
Floor tiles discovered during this year’s dig. Pic: ABH Ltd
Other discoveries from this dig include the remains of a cobbled driveway, carved stonework from the front elevation of the house, and floor joists from a picture gallery.
Mr Kyle praised the volunteers involved in the excavation, saying they are “so enthusiastic”.
“They’re so committed to it. Even during tea breaks, they always end up coming back early,” he said.
Mr Kyle added that many people have come forward to share their stories and memories of the house.
“I spoke to one gentleman in his 90s who remembers being on the lawn on Christmas Eve back in 1943 when the place was burning.
“He said they were sad that the house burned, but it was alright because Santa came the next day,” he added.
As the dig continues, Mr Kyle is hoping to access one of the studies and a safe room within the mansion, which might yield some amazing artefacts, including property deeds and more.
Charles Duggan, Heritage Officer with Dublin City Council, said transition year students were able to get involved in the excavation for the first time this year, which was “hugely successful”.
Volunteers working the Picture Gallery of the old mansion. Pic: ABH Ltd
He also emphasised the community involvement in the digs, saying it is “open to absolutely anyone to attend”.
Discussing some of the recent discoveries, he added: “Because we’re dealing with the remains of a house, we found carved stonework from the front elevation, as high up as the chimney.
“We even found the floor joists of a picture gallery that would have overlooked the front of the house. We also discovered the remains of a cobbled driveway, which would have predated the existing St Anne’s House.
“We were able to tie this up with the excavation from last year, where we found the sculpture gallery.
“These discoveries highlight the scale and opulence of the Guinness Mansion, which would have been akin to the industrialists’ mansions of the East Coast of America in the late 19th century,” he added.
Mr Duggan also said plans are in the works for next year to delve deeper into the “social history” of the mansion, as they have received many accounts of childhood memories related to St Anne’s Park and the house, and they would like to capture those stories.
