1999:673 - BALLINAVALLEY, Meath

The site is in the townland of Ballinvalley, which is south of the two Carnbane hills on which the Lough Crew passage tomb cemetery lies. Ballinvalley townland and Drumsawry townland to its west contain a large number of recorded monuments of all periods. The development site is close to a dense cluster of monuments to its north-west, west and south-west. These were a cairn, cists within a barrow, and a cist (SMR 9:55) that contained vase food vessel burials, the capstone of which was decorated-this last site is the closest recorded monument to the development site. There are also standing stones and an enclosure. Three ringforts are recorded to the east of the site.

The planning permission granted by Meath County Council for a bungalow with associated septic tank, garage and driveway required pre-development testing and an archaeological impact statement to be submitted to Dúchas before site preparation work.

Five trenches tested the major components of this proposed development. The trenches were placed as close as possible to the foundation trenches of the house, septic tank, garage and driveway.

Trenches 1 and 3–5 did not reveal archaeological material.

A charcoal-filled feature was exposed in Trench 2, which tested the back wall of the house. Its maximum dimensions were 0.8m x 0.65m x 0.15m deep. It was found at the bottom of the ploughsoil but overlying the gravelly subsoil. Its sides were gently sloped and uneven and did not appear to have been deliberately cut. The fill was a charcoal-enriched soil with some loose stones. There were no finds. The purpose of the feature was unclear, and there were no means whereby it could be dated. No associated features were exposed in the rest of the trench.

Following the exposure of the charcoal-filled feature, monitoring was carried out during ground reduction and foundation trenching. No further features associated with the charcoal (or elsewhere on the site) were exposed.

Roestown, Drumree, Co. Meath