County: Meath Site name: JOHNSTOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 01E0597
Author: Richard Clutterbuck, Cultural Resource Development Services Ltd.
Site type: Pit
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 678730m, N 740893m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.412287, -6.815766
This site was discovered on 14 June 2001 during test excavations in advance of the Enfield Relief Road (see No. 973, Excavations 2001, 01E0538). The site became apparent as a series of dark, suboval stains in the natural subsoil. The features were initially identified in an adjacent engineer’s trench. The area was enlarged and subsequent monitoring of topsoil-stripping revealed three additional features. The site was excavated within a 40m by 10m grid between 12 July and 1 August 2001.
Twenty-six features were investigated, twelve of which appeared to be arranged in a rough half-oval. The archaeologically significant features were shallow and oval in shape, ranging in size from 1.2m by 1.07m by 0.16m deep to 0.1m by 0.06m by 0.03m deep. Eighteen features contained charcoal; twelve contained bone, all but one of which was crushed burnt bone. Flint flake débitage was found in two features, possible metal fragments were found in one, and two features contained what appears to be slag. Samples of charcoal and soil have been sent for analysis; the charcoal sample is not suitable for radiocarbon dating. The metal finds and slag will be sent to a conservation specialist for analysis and conservation. The site appears to be prehistoric.
The site has been fully excavated and recorded. There is a strong likelihood of further archaeological remains associated with this site in the adjacent field. Therefore it is recommended that an archaeological assessment be carried out in advance of any future development in the vicinity of this site.
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