County: Meath Site name: DUNBOYNE/CASTLEFARM/LOUGHSALLAGH/CLONEE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 03E0671
Author: Robert O'Hara, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 703384m, N 741046m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.409417, -6.445018
An assessment was carried out on behalf of Meath County Council within the environs of Dunboyne and Clonee, Co. Meath, in advance of the Dunboyne Flood Relief Scheme, flood alleviation works connected to the River Tolka and Castle Stream. These works will include the deepening and widening of Castle Stream, the underpinning or replacing of a number of bridges over this stream and the construction of embankments on lands adjoining the Tolka River.
Five trenches were excavated within the public park on the north bank of Castle Stream in Dunboyne townland. It is proposed to divert Castle Stream in this area. There were no visible archaeological features within the park, although the site does lie within the zone of archaeological potential for Dunboyne. Topsoil deposits were 0.5–0.7m in depth and came down onto the grey marl natural subsoil. No archaeological features were uncovered, although two stone-lined drains of recent date were noted. A number of modern ceramic and earthenware sherds were noted within the excavated deposits, with glass, metal and plastic also found.
A further three trenches were excavated south of Castle Stream and east of Dunboyne Castle in Castlefarm townland. This area will be used for spoil deposition. Topsoil deposits at this location were 0.5–0.6m deep and contained a large amount of roots immediately below the surface. Subsoil was the same grey marl encountered across the stream. Two stone-lined drains and an earthenware pipe were encountered. These also were of recent origin. A number of trenches were excavated at the location of the proposed flood embankments in the townlands of Loughsallagh and Clonee. Testing in a field known locally as 'Church Field', which also contained a graveyard (SMR 50:6), failed to identify any archaeological features, although ridge and furrow features of unknown date were also recorded within the field. Similar features were previously recorded within the same townland by Rosanne Meenan (Excavations 1998, No. 512, 98E0295).
No archaeological finds or features were noted during this assessment.
Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth
