County: Meath Site name: PETERSTOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 97E0389
Author: Deirdre Murphy, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: Burial ground
Period/Dating: Early Medieval (AD 400-AD 1099)
ITM: E 681253m, N 757541m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.561485, -6.773524
A rescue excavation was carried out at Peterstown, Trim, Co. Meath, in October 1997. The site is located just inside the townland boundary of Peterstown and there are no known archaeological monuments in this townland. The closest archaeological sites are to be found in the townlands of Kiltoome and Newtown.
The site of human burials was uncovered during a road improvement scheme carried out by Meath County Council. The burials were visible at a depth of 0.5m below the surface in a natural sandy gravel ridge at the south end of a large open field. An examination of the remains revealed two extended inhumation burials. Both had been disturbed by machine and at least two more individuals were represented among the disarticulated bones scattered around the site. It can therefore be concluded that the remains consisted of a minimum of four adult human burials. The orientation of the two in situ burials suggests that they were Christian. The number of burials suggests that they formed part of a cemetery. There were no artefacts recovered that might give a clue to the date of the burials.
Following excavation and the removal of the burials, a skeletal examination was carried out. Two sets of dentition were examined, and secondary dentine formation and a lack of caries on the teeth was noted. This is typical of an Early Christian or early medieval population as opposed to a post-medieval population. The archaeological remains in this area are also indicative of an Early Christian or medieval settlement. It would therefore not be unlikely to find a cemetery belonging to either of these periods in this area. No other features were uncovered during this excavation.
5 Trinity Street, Drogheda, Co. Louth
