County: Louth Site name: TULLYALLEN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 00E0870, 02E0728
Author: Stephen J. Linnane, ACS Ltd.
Site type: House - Bronze Age, Enclosure, Pit, Cremation pit and Kiln - corn-drying
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 704329m, N 777511m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.736795, -6.418633
Deirdre Murphy carried out testing in the proposed development site (Excavations 2000, No. 713, 00E0870). Planning consent was given for a large housing development with the condition that monitoring of all topsoil-stripping be undertaken. Archaeological features were identified during this process, and the licence was extended to cover the monitoring of topsoil-stripping before development. The licence was transferred to the writer, and work began on 25 April 2002. Further features were identified, and an application for a licence to excavate was made. Licence 02E0728 was issued, and monitoring was immediately followed by full excavation, which was completed on 9 July 2002.
The subject field measured c. 200m by c. 200m, and the areas of archaeological interest centred on the southern slopes of a low ridge that ran east–west along the southern part of the site. Five distinct areas of archaeological activity were recorded.
Area 1 was in the east of the site, on the south-facing slope of the ridge, overlooking the valley of the River Boyne. A series of post-holes and shallow gullies formed a circular structure identified as a Bronze Age round house. The outer wall of the house was c. 6.2m in diameter, with evidence of a drip gully around it. Evidence of an entranceway survived to the south-east. An inner ring of posts measured c. 3.2m in diameter.
Area 2, between Areas 1 and 3, contained a series of ditches of no definite purpose and with no datable material associated with them. The principal feature ran from south-east to north-west and consisted of lengths of ditch that ended in rounded terminals. This ditch could be traced across the whole field. A number of small pits were situated along the edges of the ditch but formed no obvious pattern. Farther west was a metalled path running from south-west to north-east. The path would have extended beyond the southern boundary of the site and had been ploughed out to the north. No obvious purpose for the pathway could be discerned, but the amount of flint debitage that came from its vicinity indicates its association with the prehistoric landscape.
Area 3 contained a series of pits and ditches forming an irregular circle with a diameter of c. 8m. The features forming the external perimeter did not appear to be structural, and collections of flint tools from within the pits may indicate a ritual purpose for these features. In the interior of the circular area was a series of linear alignments of stake- and post-holes that were definitely structural.
Area 4 contained two cremations within pots. The pots were lifted out whole and await further study.
Area 5 contained the continuation of the main ditch found in Area 2.
In addition, two cereal-drying kilns of figure-of-eight form were excavated.
Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth
