County: Meath Site name: STALLEEN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: Niall Gregory
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Post Medieval (AD 1600-AD 1750)
ITM: E 703431m, N 772436m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.691386, -6.433931
On 3rd and 4th October, 1992, an underwater excavation was conducted on the bed of the River Boyne at Stalleen td, Co. Meath. The purpose of the excavation was to record any existing structures and to recover objects of an archaeological and historical nature, prior to river bed disturbance by the construction of a footbridge. The project was conducted by members of the Irish Underwater Archaeological Research Team (IUART) with finance made available by the Office of Public Works.
The excavation covered the full width of the river for a distance of 50m on either side of the proposed bridge site.
The site is c. 200m downstream from an area of shallows which is probably the location of an ancient ford. The depth of the river varied from about 1 m to 2m. The immediate site of the proposed bridge was disturbed prior to excavation. A layer of boulders and stones had been laid on the river bed effectively increasing the current making diving conditions extremely difficult and potentially hazardous. Because of the greater flow, a significant quantity of boulders and stones was washed downstream and spread over the entire river bed for that half of the site which rendered searching difficult in this area.
The site was divided into 2 areas, a Western and an Eastern Sector. Weighted lines were laid on the river bed parallel to the banks at 2m intervals. These were anchored by cross-ropes staked to either bank and the whole arrangement acted as a guide to the divers. The Western Sector was divided into 14 lanes and the Eastern into 12. The divers searched lanes both visually and with the use of metal-detectors.
The river banks and the ramps were also surveyed.
Due to the presence of an area of steeply-sloping high ground parallel to the southern bank, and the depth of the river, it is considered unlikely that there was ever a regular crossing point at the location excavated Therefore the likelihood of recovering objects of either an archaeological or historical nature, lost by persons crossing the river, was considered to be very limited. The site, which is in proximity to a major complex of passage tombs, is situated in an area which was of major importance since prehistoric times. The possibility, therefore, that there were votive offerings in the river could not be discounted.
No structures were found during the course of the search. The finds included 2 grenades and what appears to be portion of the muzzle of a small cannon, which had exploded. These are believed to relate to events connected with the Battle of the Boyne, in 1690. It is not believed that any of the major engagements of the battle took place on the site although it is likely that an outlying skirmish occurred, thus accounting for the finds. It is considered unlikely that the current would have been sufficient to carry the finds from the shallows located upstream, to where they were recovered.
Other finds were 3 horseshoes and a composite object consisting of alloyed metal beaten around and nailed to a piece of wood.
62 Knocknashee, Goatstown, Dublin 14
