County: Meath Site name: RIVERSTOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 01E0557
Author: Rosanne Meenan
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 690831m, N 759520m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.577699, -6.628418
A two-storey dwelling-house was planned for this site. The developer was required to have ground disturbance monitored. Riverstown henge (SMR 31:32) lies some 800m to the west, while the monuments on the Hill of Tara are approximately 1km to the east. The Hill of Tara is visible from the development site. Slightly further west, in the same townland, are the remains of a tower-house and stone house (SMR 31:31).
The sod was stripped over the area of the proposed house, driveway and a 4m-wide strip around the house. Ground level was reduced by 0.3–0.4m. Brown topsoil was exposed all over.
Foundation trenches for the house were excavated to a depth of 1m with a 3ft bucket. Mottled brown and grey boulder clay was exposed. A shaly limestone bedrock occurred at several points in the trenches.
A 4m-square area was excavated for the septic tank. Topsoil here was 1m deep. The percolation area was excavated to a depth of approximately 0.6–0.7m, through topsoil. Sticky, mottled boulder clay was exposed.
Roestown, Drumree, Co. Meath
