2024:772 - Duleek–Navan Trunk Watermain, Meath

Archaeological monitoring was undertaken at nine locations along the scheme, including topsoil stripping within the working areas, in road works in the vicinity of the Wayside Cross (i.e. the ‘Athcarne Cross’) at Gaulstown, Co. Meath (Nat. Mon. No. 322) and works in a field off Boyne Road.

Three archaeological areas were identified during the monitoring works (designated Areas 1–3). The identified features have been subsequently excavated under amendments 2 and 3 to the current licence, and a preliminary excavation report has issued (Pawle and Sutton 2024).

Monitoring of remaining areas, including in the vicinity of the Wayside Cross and off the Boyne Road, identified nothing of archaeological interest.

Area 1 was situated in the townland of Alexander Reid, on the southern side of the R153 road. The natural subsoil comprised of a firm orange sandy clay with bands of sedimentary rock.

A feature identified as being possibly archaeological during monitoring (C010) was investigated and was confirmed as being an area of decayed stone.

An isolated pit (C012) of uncertain date was situated near a field boundary and land drain in Area 1. It was oval in plan, 0.57m long (east–west) and 0.4m wide. An irregularly shaped patch of in-situ burning (C014) investigated in Area 1 was interpreted as representing modern clearance of vegetation.

Area 2 was situated in the townland of Brownstown, on the northern side of the R153 road to the west of the village of Kentstown. The natural subsoil comprised an orange–yellow silty clay.

The archaeological remains in Area 2 consisted of a small cluster of three pits (C004, C006 and C008), all within 1.5m of each other. All contained charcoal-rich fills with fragments of heat-affected stone, indicative of burnt mound activity, and it is likely that further archaeological features relating to a burnt mound lie outside the development area in adjacent lands.

Area 3 was situated in Blackcastle Demense townland, to the north-east of Navan town, in a low-lying field on the western side of the River Boyne. There are sites listed in the SMR close to Area 3, one of which (ME025-062—-) is listed as a redundant record and the other (ME025-061—-) is the site of a series of pits excavated to facilitate the Clonmagadden Water Scheme.

The archaeological remains in Area 3 included one pit (C018), a partially exposed second pit or ditch terminus (C016) and a patch of in-situ burning (C015). It is not clear if these are related contemporary features; however, a medieval date can be proposed due to the presence of medieval pottery within one of the pits.