County: Meath Site name: GORTLONEY
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 15:68 Licence number: 99E0732
Author: Martin E. Byrne
Site type: House - indeterminate date
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 655330m, N 773573m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.708910, -7.161915
An archaeological evaluation was undertaken at a proposed development site at Gortloney, Oldcastle, on 7 December 1999. The work was carried out in compliance with a request for additional information in respect of the proposed development of the site. Part of the development is within the constraints of a recorded monument known as Green Castle, described on the OS 6-inch maps as a castle 'in ruins'.
Eight trenches were excavated by machine in order to determine the nature and extent of any archaeological features within the development area. No features, deposits, structures or finds of archaeological interest, associated with the castle or any other possible archaeological site, were uncovered. Indeed, according to local information, part of the wall of the castle stood, until the late 19th/early 20th century, on a site to the north-west of the development site.
In addition to the testing, the extant buildings on the site were examined. One was constructed of concrete and did not warrant further attention. The other is the roofless and gutted remains of a former two-storey house. This building is constructed almost entirely of stone, with the walls up to 0.6m thick. A rear extension to the house was demolished in recent years. The walls of the house had been plastered both internally and externally in previous times, but parts of the stone wall are at present exposed. No fragments of reused cut stone were noted from this examination. This building will be reroofed and used as a garage/store.
It was recommended that no additional archaeological involvement was required in respect of the development.
31 Millford, Athgarvan, Co. Kildare
