2004:1184 - TESTING AREA 3, BERRILLSTOWN/TREVET, Meath

Testing was carried out in advance of the planned M3 Clonee-North of Kells PPP scheme, Co. Meath, on the Dunshaughlin-Navan section (Contract 2) between March and May 2004. This section of the scheme is c. 15.5km long from the townland of Roestown, northwest of Dunshaughlin, to the townland of Ardsallagh, south-west of Navan town. The EIS recommended testing any known or possible sites identified and Meath County Council further proposed to test the whole of the remainder of the route. For the purposes of testing, this section was divided into 26 testing areas. The assessment methodology generally consisted of mechanically excavating 2m-wide test-trenches along the centre-line and perpendicular to the centre-line to the edge of the land-take every 20m. The work was carried out on behalf of Meath County Council, the National Roads Design Office and the National Roads Authority.

Located in the townlands of Berrillstown and Trevet between Chainages 23500 and 22450, 65 test-trenches, totalling 4436 linear metres, were excavated in Testing Area 3. This represents 12.61% of the lands made available for assessment in Testing Area 3 (9719.6 m2 of 77,070m2).

Two sites of archaeological significance were identified: a possible barrow and associated features at Berrillstown 1 and a pit filled with charcoal-rich clay and heat-shattered stone at Berrillstown 2.

At Berrillstown 1, geophysical survey identified a pennanular enclosure which measured 30m north-south by 25m. Test excavation revealed this enclosure to be defined by a broad shallow ditch 6.42m wide at the top by 0.59m deep. Four fills were identified in this ditch. Prehistoric pottery, including one rim sherd of Beaker ware, and animal bone were recovered from one of the upper fills. The ditch accentuated a natural rise, and a possible cremation with unburnt animal (including pig) bone was identified within the area defined by this ditch. The site had been ploughed and, while there was no trace of an enclosed mound, it is suggested that a layer of slippage towards the inner edge of the ditch may indicate the presence of a mound. While this may have resulted from slippage from the edge of a ditch, it was not noted towards the outer edge.

The presence of a cremation, the location of the site on a low prominence with extensive views and the general lack of domestic debris from the ditch may indicate that this feature was the quarry ditch for a monument of the barrow tradition. As discussed above, there is limited stratigraphic evidence for the presence of an inner mound but not an outer bank. This site is tentatively identified as a ploughed-out bowl barrow. The road has been moved slightly to avoid this feature.

Although undated, the distribution of the other features identified, such as pits, possible pits, burnt spreads and possible cremation pits, would suggest that these are associated with this monument. The lack of finds from the topsoil or in the excavated features may also suggest a non-utilitarian function for these features.

Berrillstown 2 comprised a pit filled with charcoal-rich soil with heat-shattered stone and an agricultural furrow with a fill of the same. The pit was sub-oval in shape and measured 1.42m east-west by 1.28m by 0.23m deep. It is likely that the pit and furrow represent the remains of a burnt mound or fulacht fiadh levelled and removed by ploughing.