County: Westmeath Site name: NEW DOWNS, Mullingar (Area E)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 00E0092
Author: Emer Dennehy, Eachtra Archaeological Projects
Site type: Pit-burial
Period/Dating: Bronze Age (2200 BC-801 BC)
ITM: E 650471m, N 750624m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.503188, -7.239223
Eight areas of archaeological potential were identified while monitoring the topsoil clearance associated with the N4 Realignment and Widening Scheme. In Area E three features were identified, a post-hole and two pits. The post-hole was extremely large, measuring 1.7m in width by 0.65m in depth; the post-pipe was burnt in situ. One of the pits appears to have been funerary in nature, with quantities of cremated bone retrieved from the fill. The remaining pit measured 1.5m by 1.7m by 0.4m in depth and exhibits evidence of in situ burning. The presence of a funerary pit in this area is indicative of a Bronze Age date for the archaeology. A number of additional funerary pits were found along the route of the alignment scheme in Areas C, D, G and H (Nos 1032, 1019, 1020 and 1021).
3 Canal Place, Tralee, Co. Kerry
