County: Meath Site name: CARRANSTOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E1716 ext.
Author: Goorik Dehaene, for Arch Tech Ltd.
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 705362m, N 770566m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.674201, -6.405353
Monitoring of topsoil removal was undertaken within the area of the proposed westward extension of Platin Quarry in the townland of Carranstown, north-east Co. Meath, in July 2003. All topsoil removal was by 360º mechanical excavators employing toothless buckets. The site is located to the west of the Irish Cement Ltd quarry at Platin, 5km to the south-west of Drogheda and 3km north-north-east of Duleek. Several phases of archaeological work have already taken place within the proposed western extension, including test excavation (Excavations 2002, Nos 1434, 02E1306; 1435, 02E1586; 03E0789 and 03E0790), geophysical survey (02R0119), monitoring (02E1716) and excavation (Excavations 2002, No. 1434, 02E1306; and Nos 1378, 03E0264, and 1381, 03E0465, Excavations 2003).
The geophysical survey (undertaken by Geo Arc Ltd, September 2002) identified several geophysical anomalies in this area. One, identified as a possible barrow, was investigated by test excavation (03E0789) in June 2003, but no archaeological material was identified. Subsequent monitoring revealed the location of the anomaly, along with eleven features of varying archaeological potential. This material is significantly less substantial than the geophysical survey suggested. It was subsequently excavated (No. 1368, Excavations 2003, 03E1747).
Glascarn, Ratoath, Co. Meath
