2002:1876 - KINNEGAD–ENFIELD–KILCOCK MOTORWAY SCHEME, Contract 1, Westmeath

A total of 24 potential sites were identified during the environmental impact statement phase of the Kinnegad–Enfield–Kilcock Motorway Scheme, Contract 1, in counties Meath and Westmeath. Thirteen of these (Sites 1, 10, 11, 84, 92, 94, 95, 96, 98, 99, 100, AE1 and AE3) were assessed by intensive trial-trenching by Eoin Corcoran before the testing of the proposed route. This work was carried out under separate licences.

The site inspection carried out at Site 93 revealed that the possible bullaun stone was a natural piece of weathered stone lying outside the motorway corridor. There was a similar weathered stone within the field boundary to the west in the same field.

A total of 108 fields were tested. A single test-trench was excavated along the centre-line of the road-take. Additional test-trenches were then excavated at right angles to the centre-line trench on alternate sides at 25m intervals. The position of additional trenches was often determined by the presence of archaeological features/potential archaeological features in the centre-line trench.

Twenty sites were identified through the centre-line testing. The sites in County Westmeath consisted of possible slot-trenches, pits and spreads at Correlstown 1 (No. 1853, Excavations 2002); two pits and a ditch at Griffinstown 1 (No. 1868, Excavations 2002); a charcoal pit at Griffinstown 2 (No. 1869, Excavations 2002); pits, a possible hearth and linear features at Griffinstown 3 (No. 1870, Excavations 2002); a possible pit at Kinnegad 1 (No. 1877, Excavations 2002); pits and spreads at Kinnegad 2 (No. 1878, Excavations 2002); a pit at Kinnegad 3 (No. 1879, Excavations 2002); two pits at Kinnegad 4 (No. 1880, Excavations 2002); three possible pits at Kinnegad 5 (No. 1881, Excavations 2002). The County Meath sites consisted of a number of possible features at Rossan 1 and Rossan 2 (Nos 1523 and 1524, Excavations 2002); four pits at Rossan 3 (No. 1525, Excavations 2002); pits and deposits at Rossan 4 (No. 1526, Excavations 2002); linear features at Rossan 5 (No. 1527, Excavations 2002); pits, deposits and spreads at Rossan 6 (No. 1528, Excavations 2002); a pit and a linear feature at Hardwood 1 (No. 1464, Excavations 2002); a possible kiln at Hardwood 2 (No. 1465, Excavations 2002); possible pits, a hearth and linear features at Hardwood 3 (No. 1466, Excavations 2002); pits and a ditch at Ardnamullan 1 (No. 1412, Excavations 2002) and the remains of a ploughed-out fulacht fiadh at Towlaght 1 (No. 1535, Excavations 2002).

Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth