County: Meath Site name: KILMESSAN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 04E1352
Author: E. Eoin Sullivan, for Cultural Resource Development Services Ltd.
Site type: Mound
Period/Dating: Iron Age (800 BC-AD 339)
ITM: E 688431m, N 757821m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.562839, -6.665121
The site of the proposed development was located at the northern periphery of the present village of Kilmessan, Co. Meath. The closest recorded monuments to the site are a ringfort (SMR 37:3) and an earthwork (SMR 37:4). The finds from these monuments, namely a late Iron Age/Early Christian bone comb and an amber piece respectively, suggest that these sites could date back to the late prehistoric period and may have been occupied in later times.
The initial environmental impact assessment for the site identified a mound of possible archaeological significance. As part of the planning conditions, the mound and four fields of the proposed development were subject to testing. The four fields were assessed on the basis of 24 mechanically excavated test-trenches, totalling 2km in length.
The northern portion of the site (Field 1) was assessed on the basis of six test-trenches. The excavation revealed a series of land drains at the eastern low-lying portion of the field. No features of archaeological significance were identified. The middle fields of the site (Fields 2 and 3) were assessed on the basis of twelve test-trenches. The possible mound was located on the low-lying level portion of Field 2. It was assessed on the basis of two trenches oriented in a north-south direction and a single trench oriented in an east-west direction. The trenches revealed that the mound was a natural feature. Eight field drains were identified throughout the low-lying portion of the field. No features of archaeological significance were identified as a result of the excavation of the trenches. Two sherds of post-medieval pottery were uncovered from a riverine channel at the eastern portion of the field close to River Skane.
The southern portion of the site (Field 4) was assessed on the basis of seven test-trenches. The excavation of the trenches revealed some man-made features, namely a semicircular-shaped spread of charcoal-rich soil, a darkened charcoal-rich soil in two trenches that appeared to be linked and the remains of an unmortared stone building, probably an agricultural building. These features were concentrated at the western portion of the field, close to the existing roadside dwellings.
Unit 4, Dundrum Business Park, Dundrum Road, Dublin 14
