2001:1005 - LAGAVOOREEN (Site 17), Meath

The site was discovered during testing along the line of the Northern Motorway, Contract 7 (Drogheda Bypass). It was in an area of firm ground, facing south, slightly downslope from a ridge occupied in prehistory by a timber circle and settlement site (see No. 1039, Excavations 2001, 00E0914). When first uncovered, the site appeared as a group of charcoal-rich features or deposits within an area of approximately 30m north–south by 32m.

This area of archaeological potential expanded 12m to the east in January 2001, when topsoil removal revealed a wide curvilinear feature with a charcoal-rich upper fill to the east of the features first identified and immediately adjacent to a north–south-running modern drainage ditch. In March 2001, in response to a request by Dúchas, a short programme of test excavation was undertaken by hand to ascertain the nature, quantity and quality of archaeological remains on site.

The excavation revealed a previously unidentified circular enclosing ditch. This feature was identified at two points, toward the eastern and south-western extremities of the area investigated. Where uncovered, the enclosing ditch was a substantial feature with a maximum recorded width of 4.7m and surviving to a depth of 1.6m as a subsoil cut. The deposits filling the ditch were varied. A soft grey silt at its base appeared to represent an accumulation over time of material at the bottom of the cut. Both edges of the ditch were covered by slumped deposits of a largely sterile sandy clay material.

The fills above the silts and between the slumped edges contained copious amounts of charcoal, some apparently prehistoric pottery, flint and infrequent inclusions of preserved bone and other organic material.

During testing only small areas along the circumference of the ditch were uncovered. The enclosure did, however, appear to form a near-perfect circle with an internal diameter of approximately 40m. A possible south-east-orientated causewayed entrance to the enclosure was identified toward the limit of investigation at the east of the site. This possible causeway had a maximum possible width of 4.7m. However, a later linear feature obscured the northern ditch terminal of the entrance and it is likely that the causeway was considerably narrower than its maximum possible dimension.

No archaeological features were identified outside the perimeter of the ditch; the limited nature of the investigation could not, however, preclude the possibility of archaeological activity beyond the confines of the enclosure. In the area of the possible causewayed entrance a small group of features were identified. Most of these were clearly related to modern disturbance. Immediately outside the enclosure entrance two apparently archaeological features were identified but not investigated. Both features were characterised by localised spreads of dark material, possibly the upper fills of cut features. The opposing nature of these two deposits/features and the supposed termini of the enclosing ditch suggests that they represent components of an entrance complex, perhaps the remains of two large post-holes.

A variety of archaeological features were identified within the enclosure. Toward the east of the site, two pits were situated immediately beside each other but with no direct stratigraphic connection. The fills of both features contained charcoal flecking and moderate amounts of stone, and one also contained fragments of burnt bone. These small features may represent occupational refuse-pits. One metre to the south of these features a third deposit was uncovered. This small but charcoal-rich deposit was not investigated.

Toward the northern extent of the investigated area two small features were uncovered. The near-circular morphology and sheer-sided nature of these truncated features suggest that they may be the remains of small post-holes, thus indicating the possibility of structural remains in this area of the site. Several other features of a possible structural nature were also identified within the area enclosed by the ditch.

At the south of the site two pits were uncovered immediately inside the enclosing ditch. One of these appeared to be of significant size. It was recorded extending beyond the limits of the test-trench to the east and west. A box trench excavated across the feature measured 4.95m north–south and was not bottomed at a depth of 1.2m. Unfortunately no direct stratigraphic relationship existed between these pits and the enclosing ditch.

Further excavation of this site was carried out in April 2001, by Donald Murphy of ACS Ltd, under a separate licence (see No. 1006, Excavations 2001).

8 Dungar Terrace, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin