2004:1231 - DUNBOYNE: Dunboyne Castle, Castlefarm, Meath

Part of a curvilinear enclosure ditch of medieval date was exposed during monitoring and pre-development testing at a residential development site at Dunboyne Castle, Dunboyne, Co. Meath (No. 1230, Excavations 2004; 04E1040). The ditch was recorded and part excavated but for safety reasons much of the fill had to be removed by mechanical digger. The material was mechanically removed in three separate spits (upper, middle and lower), which corresponded to three fairly well marked horizons in the ditch fill. The sediment was visually examined and reduced to a thickness not greater than 0.2–0.25m, on flat ground. A Pulse Diver 950 Whites Surf Pro metal detector was then used to scan the material.

A total of 195 metallic 'hits' was recorded during the process. The majority related to metal artefacts, but signals were also recorded from other materials: e.g. glazed pottery sherds, of which four were recorded, and a stone tool, which was covered in iron pan. Of the metal objects, 167 were of iron, eight were made from lead and five were made from bronze or copper alloy. The majority of the iron objects consisted of nails, but the assemblage also included stick pins, a mount, keys and a number of woodworking tools. Most of the lead objects can be classified as off-cuts, but two decorative mounts are included. The copper-alloy objects consist of three ring brooches, a binding strip and two possible mounts.

The range and date span of the artefacts is similar to that recovered during manual excavation of the medieval ditch (04E1040), with the majority of the assemblage probably dating to the 13th century.

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