County: Meath Site name: TESTING AREA 4, BENNETSTOWN/DUNBOYNE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 04E0488
Author: Robert O'Hara, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd, Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth.
Site type: Testing
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 700848m, N 743401m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.431059, -6.482400
An assessment of the M3 Contract 1 (Clonee- Dunshaughlin), Testing Area 4, along the proposed route of the Dunboyne link road north approaching the proposed Pace Grade Separated Junction was requested by Meath County Council. Located in the townlands of Bennetstown and Dunboyne, the area comprised eight fields on the southern side of the Tolka River. A geophysical survey suggested that the area had the potential to contain archaeological sites.
A total of 79 test-trenches were excavated through the area, with a combined length of 4286m (resulting in a total excavated area of 9215m2). The assessment determined that some of the anomalies recorded in the geophysical survey were archaeological sites. Three separate sites, all situated in Bennetstown, were located within this area.
Bennetstown 1 was a disturbed spread of heat-fractured stone and charcoal c. 7.2m north-south by 4.8m. An associated circular deposit may represent a trough. Bennetstown 2 was also a disturbed spread of heat-fractured stone and charcoal measuring 8.5m north-south by c. 3.5m wide. Bennetstown 3 comprised two groups of post-holes and pit features within a small area. There was no obvious pattern or layout to these features. A number of examples were tested, but, while charcoal was present, there were no datable finds.
