2004:1284 - LISMULLIN (Testing Area 10), Meath

An assessment was carried out in advance of the planned M3 Clonee–North of Kells PPP scheme, Co. Meath, on the Dunshaughlin–Navan section (Contract 2) between February and June 2004. This section of the scheme is c. 15.5km long from the townland of Roestown, north-west of Dunshaughlin, to the townland of Ardsallagh, south-west of Navan. The EIS recommended testing any known or possible sites identified and Meath County Council further proposed to test the whole of the remainder of the route. For the purposes of testing, this section was divided into 26 testing areas. The assessment methodology generally consisted of mechanically excavating 2m-wide trenches along the centre-line and perpendicular to the centre-line to the edge of the land-take every 20m. The work was carried out on behalf of Meath County Council, the National Roads Design Office and the National Roads Authority.

Testing Area 10 was located in the townland of Lismullin between Chainages 29650 and 30150. Within this area, 5604m2 out of a total of 41,807m2 was test-trenched, providing an assessment coverage of 13%. A significant portion of woodland was also contained within Testing Area 10. This portion of road-take was not archaeologically assessed during this phase of works.

Testing Area 10 consisted of two fields. No features of archaeological significance and no finds were recovered from Field 1 and a single pit and an old field boundary were exposed in Field 2. A field boundary was depicted within this position on the OS map of 1836. The pit was excavated. No other features of archaeological significance were exposed and no finds were recovered. The geophysical results identified hollows within this field that may be indicative of quarrying. This may be indicated by the varying consistencies within the natural subsoil. The natural subsoil within this field was quite changeable, with bands and pockets of boulder clay, gravel of varying consistencies and colours (light-dark-brown and grey) and stony boulder clay visible throughout the excavated trenches. The faint linear anomalies identified and the scatter of possible pits also appear to represent variations in the natural subsoil.