County: Meath Site name: QUARRYLAND
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 04E0470
Author: Aidan O'Connell, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: Pit
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 699822m, N 746677m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.460688, -6.496791
An assessment of Testing Area 9 in Contract 1 of the Clonee–North of Kells PPP scheme was undertaken on behalf of Meath County Council. Testing Area 7 is located west of the existing N3 Dublin–Navan road, south of Dunshaughlin. The proposed development at this site is a 950m-long stretch of mainline dual carriageway. The testing 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.
A total of 80 test-trenches, representing 3199.7 linear metres, were excavated for Testing Area 9. This figure represents 10.14% of the total area available for testing. A considerable area occupied by a fruit tree plantation was, however, not made available.
A single area of archaeological potential was recorded. This was an isolated pit, subcircular in plan, with dimensions of 0.46m north-south by 0.35m by 0.08m deep. The fill was a soft grey/black silty clay with some charcoal flecking. Two areas measuring 8m by 5m were cleared at either side of the pit to record any possible associated features. None were found. As the pit was isolated and no other potential archaeological features were recorded in the field, it was fully excavated and a soil sample extracted for analysis. This site has been designated Quarryland 1.
Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth
