2002:1416 - ASHBOURNE TOWN CENTRE, Meath

An archaeological assessment including topographic survey and test excavation was carried out on a development site at Killegland, Co. Meath. Seventeen trenches were excavated on either side of the Broadmeadow River in Killegland townland on the outskirts of Ashbourne. This was the second phase of assessment at the site and followed an initial assessment by William Frazer (No. 1415, Excavations 2002). The assessment concentrated on ‘earthworks’ now identified as a mill-race channel on the northern side of the Broadmeadow River and also revealed the remains of Killegland Castle. These discoveries led to further investigations at the site by Frazer (report to be submitted to Excavations 2003). The authors are indebted to Ciaran O’Flanagan, a local historian, for his invaluable insight into historical references to Killegland contained in the Register of the Abbey of St Thomas (Gilbert 1889).

The placename Killegland derives from the Irish Cill Dhéagláin, ‘Declan’s church’, suggesting an Early Christian origin for the site. The settlement originally centred on the early church site (SMR 45:4) and developed later toward the medieval tower-house (SMR 45:5) at Killegland and later again to the site of the present village. The historical references to Killegland in the Register of the Abbey of St Thomas describe mills and other land holdings and provide the principal dating evidence for the structures identified in the assessment.

Two short trenches were excavated on the hillock to ascertain whether traces of the tower-house survived below ground level. A plan of the tower-house is given on the first-edition OS map and shows a simple, unenclosed, rectangular tower with a rectangular turret on its south-western corner. A wall foundation and the internal cobbled floor were uncovered during the excavation. The historical sources suggest that the building was erected for Walter Wafre after 1400.

A mill-race channel was identified running east–west through the development site. The feature was constructed from earth and had silted up; it is marked on the first-edition OS map as a field boundary. It survived as an earthwork stretching over 200m and terminated under a modern spoil tip at the eastern end of the development site. The mill-race channel was on average 2.5m wide at the top and was 0.8–1.4m deep. The trench was filled with silty clay containing few archaeological inclusions (pottery, bone etc.). Its gently falling profile and the silt deposited in its base indicate that it functioned as a watercourse. These discoveries, coupled with the placename evidence from the neighbouring townland downriver, ‘Milltown’, preserve the memory of the ancient mills in this location. References to milling in Killegland date from the start of the 13th century.

A low-banked earthwork was identified on the southern side of the mill-race channel. It measured 20m north–south by 45m and was visible as a low platform on the flood-plain of the Broadmeadow River. It is possible that the structure indicates the location of one of the medieval mills in the Killegland complex. Two shallow ditches were identified to the south of the platform earthwork; these may indicate the location of a tailrace. Sherds of medieval pottery were recovered from above the bank of the feature, suggesting a medieval date.

Two distinct ponds, c. 8–10m in diameter, were situated at the western end of the development site. A shallow, silted-up channel appeared to link these ponds and the river, although modern arterial drainage has obscured much of the surrounding ground. It is suggested that these features are the site of two fishponds linked by silted watercourses. The historical sources describe piscatura, and the first-edition OS map indicates the presence of unusual earthworks at the site of the pond in the early 19th century.

Archaeological features comprising pits and gullies were situated on the high, northern ground overlooking the Broadmeadow River. Monitoring adjacent to this area identified a possible corn-drying kiln beside the mill-race channel to the east (W. Frazer, report to be submitted to Excavations 2003). These features and the deposits identified indicate the potential for archaeological structures related to grain milling (barns, grain stores, kilns etc.) to be uncovered during groundworks.

Reference
Gilbert, J.T. 1889 Register of the Abbey of St Thomas. Dublin.

2 Killiney View, Albert Road Lower, Glenageary, Co. Dublin