2004:1277 - KNOCKHARLEY, Meath

Excavation of a number of archaeological features was undertaken in the townland of Knockharley, some 6km south of Slane, between May and July 2004. A regional residual landfill facility is being developed at the site. Monitoring of ground disturbance, testing and some limited excavation work was previously undertaken at the site by Carmel Duffy (03E0187). In the course of monitoring, five separate areas of archaeological significance were identified and excavated by the writer in the summer of 2004.

Area 1 was located in the west of the landfill footprint and consisted of a dark linear feature and a number of pits with fills of small angular stones. The features were located in a strip of land measuring c. 45m by 35m, with the surrounding land having been reduced in level as part of the development. The linear feature, which was cut into the natural, was excavated for a length of 16m and was 1.75m in maximum width. It had three fills of clay, and one find of a single fragment of dark-green glass, possibly 19th-century in date, was recovered from the upper fill. To the west of the linear feature a modern drain filled with angular stones was uncovered, while further west three pit features were uncovered. All of these features were cut into the natural subsoil and had in their upper fills concentrations of small angular stones. Occasional fragments of charcoal were recovered from the upper fills, but the quantity recovered was inadequate for dating purposes.

Area 2, located to the west of Area 1, comprised a strip of land measuring c. 35m by 25m, with the excavations concentrated in an area measuring 25.5m by 15.5m. An initial clearing back of the site revealed a large mound of heat-shattered stones covering an area 11.5m north-south by 20.5m. It was noticeable that there was a larger concentration of stones in the east and west ends, indicating a roughly kidney-shaped mound with terminals at either end. A modern drainage channel orientated northwest/south-east ran through the mound, while a second drain orientated east-west was located to the south-east. The excavations revealed a mound of burnt angular stones and charcoal, averaging 0.25m in depth but having a maximum depth of 0.45m. At the base of the mound there was a concentration of charcoal covering an area 0.85m by 0.45m and 0.1m deep. The mound overlay the natural boulder clay. Below the mound material, two large pits were cut into the natural. The upper fill of both pits consisted of mound material with a lower fill of clay. Charcoal fragments recovered from both pits should give a date for their use. No finds of archaeological significance were recovered from the area excavated.

Area 3 was located within the landfill footprint and to the north-east of Area 2. It comprised a strip of land measuring c. 20m by 15m, with the surrounding land reduced in level as part of the development of the site. Previous monitoring had identified a number of pit features cut into the natural clay. An area measuring 17m by 12m was manually excavated and twelve large irregular-shaped pit features were identified and excavated. The pits formed a roughly subcircular area, with the cut features being mainly subcircular and oval in shape and over 1m in diameter. The pits were usually over 0.3m in depth and had at least two fills. The upper fills were of angular stones, some of which were burnt, while the lower fills were of clays and silts with occasional stone inclusions. Moderate charcoal deposits recovered from the fills should enable dating of the features. No finds were recovered from the fills or the surrounding areas excavated.

Area 4 was located to the north-west of Area 3 and within the landfill footprint. An area 6m by 5.5m was manually excavated, revealing a large pit feature cut into the natural. The irregular cut measured 4.85m by 3.3m and was excavated for a depth of 1m. The fill was a grey/brown sandy clay with occasional stone inclusions. A number of animal teeth fragments were recovered from the fill. No other finds of archaeological significance were recovered from the pit feature or from the surrounding area excavated Area 5 was located at the west edge of the landfill footprint. Excavations in this area were concentrated in a strip of land measuring 30m in length and 6.5m in width. Manual excavation revealed a number of pit features cut into the natural boulder clay and a number of modern drainage trenches. No artefacts of archaeological significance were recovered from the area excavated, but charcoal fragments from the pits may provide a date for these features.

Ballydavid South, Athenry, Co. Galway