County: Meath Site name: CORSTOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 98E0417
Author: Martin E. Byrne
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 658916m, N 776891m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.738333, -7.106970
Trial-trenching was undertaken at a proposed development site at Corstown, Oldcastle, Co. Meath, on 12 September 1998. The work was undertaken in compliance with a condition included in the grant of planning in relation to the construction of a private dwelling.
The site lies on the base of the southern slopes of the Slieve na Calliagh hills, where the Loughcrew Megalithic Cemetery and a number of other archaeological sites are found. Five cairns, six megalithic tombs, a standing stone and a stone cross are situated in the townland of Corstown alone.
Five trial-trenches were opened within the confines of the proposed development site. All were dug by a combination of machine- and hand-excavation. The topsoil consisted of a mid-brown with a dark orange hue, silty clay, with moderate angular/subangular pebbles and small cobbles dispersed randomly throughout. The undisturbed natural subsoil lay directly below the topsoil and had a similar matrix except that the soil was lighter in colour and contained more stone. No features, structures or finds of archaeological interest were recovered during the course of the work.
39 Kerdiff Park, Monread, Naas, Co. Kildare
