2004:1248 - HARLOCKSTOWN, Meath

This excavation was undertaken as part of the archaeological mitigation in advance of the N2 Finglas–Ashbourne road scheme (Appendix II). Pre-development testing was carried out under this licence by David Bonner in 2003. This identified a fulacht fiadh, Site 20 (previously designated Testing Area 20), partially exposed within the main route of the development. The site was first identified during the geophysical survey of the route. The licence was transferred to Cara Murray in February 2004. Excavation commenced in February for a period of four weeks, during which time the fulacht fiadh was excavated.

This section of the development is located west of the existing N2 and south of the R125 Ratoath-Swords road, in a field that was in agricultural production prior to the development works. Site 20 (max. OD 66.46m) was situated at the southern end of this field adjacent to a canalised section of one of the Broadmeadow River tributaries, with higher ground to the north.

Excavation revealed the overall form of the mound as an undulating irregular half circle of burnt stone within a matrix of charcoal-rich silt and clay, partially exposed along the western edge of the development footprint. As exposed, it measured 19.7m (north-south) by 9.3m and 0.03–0.23m deep. This mound was largely homogenous, apart from localised deposits of redeposited clay associated with the construction of the troughs. Four troughs were uncovered close to the edge of the footprint, three of which were fully excavated and one of which was only partially exposed. Two of these troughs, F26 and F12, were located below the southern end of the burnt mound. Of these, the earlier trough, F26, was irregularly oval in shape, roughly U-shaped in profile and measured 1.37m (east-west) by 0.9m and 0.29m deep. This trough was lined with the remnants of four wooden planks, surviving on the northern side of the trough in very poor condition. The basal fill consisted of a 0.19m-deep deposit of coarse-grained black clayey silt, stones and charcoal. Two small lenses of clay, associated with the construction of one of the other troughs, formed the upper fills. The subsequent construction of F12, immediately to the south, truncated the south-western edge of F26, making that trough obsolete. F12 was also roughly oval in form, measuring 1.35m (north-east/southwest) by 1.09m and 0.29m deep. It was filled with decayed stone, probably the remnants of the last firing, and an overlying fill that was similar to the burnt-mound material.

Situated c. 2m to the north, the two northern troughs, F21 and F24, were c. 0.8m apart. Only a small portion of F21 was exposed, with an evident extent of 1.05m (east-west) by 0.51m and only 0.22m in exposed depth. A charcoal-rich deposit of clayey silt, with frequent burnt and decayed stones, filled the basal half of this trough. Infilling the upper half was silty clay, also quite rich in charcoal. The remaining trough, F24, measured 1.3m (northeast/south-west) by 1m and was 0.23m deep. The profile of this cut was straight-sided with an irregular base. This trough was lined with five horizontal timbers, laid lengthwise, four set against the southwestern end and one along the southern side. Overlying these was a 0.23m-deep basal fill of black clayey silt with frequent burnt and decayed stone and charcoal. A small deposit of redeposited dark-grey clay and part of the burnt mound overlay this, suggesting that it may be early in the sequence of trough construction.

A piece of burnt flint, a possible scraper, was the only artefact recovered from the upper material of the fulacht mound on the southern side of the site. No other associated features were uncovered, although further material may remain upslope of the site beyond the development footprint.

Unit 8, Ashcourt, Ashbourne Industrial Estate, Ashbourne, Co. Meath