County: Meath Site name: KNOCKMARK/KILCOOLY (Testing Area 20)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 04E0482
Author: Tara O'Neill, Archaeological Consultancy Services
Site type: Pit and Burnt spread
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 693612m, N 751026m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.500899, -6.588973
An assessment was carried out in advance of the planned M3 Clonee–North of Kells PPP scheme, Co. Meath, on the Clonee–Dunshaughlin section (Contract 1) between February and June 2004. This section of the scheme consists of c. 14.2km of motorway and a further c. 14km of link roads and additional side roads. The EIS recommended testing of 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.
One hundred and six trenches were excavated in Testing Area 20. One area of possible archaeological significance was identified within Plot 172, which will be impacted upon by the proposed development. This site was located in Field 1 and contained a number of shallow pits and spreads and a flint arrowhead. The site has been designated as Knockmark 1.
Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth
