2004:1327 - RATOATH, Meath

Monitoring was carried out in January 2004 on an area in close proximity to an archaeological complex identified under monitoring licence 03E1300 (Excavations 2003, No. 1452). The area monitored was at the northern side of Field 8 within a residential development outside the village of Ratoath, Co. Meath. The dimensions of the area monitored were 130m by 30m.

A geophysical investigation was carried out by Martina McCarthy of GeoArc Ltd under licence 03R148 in advance of monitoring. It was considered possible that anomalies identified in the geophysical plan might be archaeologically significant and monitoring in advance of development was recommended. On this basis, topsoil-stripping and archaeological investigation in the northern portion of Field 8 was carried out.

The area was stripped mechanically (east-west) using a 'grading bucket'. The initial eastern section monitored (18m by 14m) showed signs of previous disturbance and was taken down to a depth of 0.45–0.9m. At this level, four potential features were exposed and subsequently resolved: F131 was a linear band of natural yellow clay, F132 was a circular area of burnt clay, F136 was a large linear ditch, F143 was a circular area of burning underlying F132 and truncating F136, and F149 was a deposit of perinatal animal remains within the large linear ditch F136.

The remaining area stripped was taken down to a depth of 0.2m. South of F136 in the eastern area monitored, three post-hole-type features (F133-135) were exposed. Fills were similar, but there was no evidence for any structure.

Strong geophysical anomalies were recorded in the north-east section of this area. Further investigations revealed intense modern activity, with black plastic and burnt scrub evident in lower levels of ditch F155 and in topsoil deposits. In the far northeast area, stake-hole F160 and post-holes F154 and F152 were resolved. There was no evidence for any structure. Post-hole F151 was isolated in the northeast corner of the monitored area.

Stratigraphy across the area was fairly consistent; there were bands of bright yellow silty clay and areas within the natural that had a higher stone content. Topsoil texture was a mid-brown sandy silt, c. 0.2m in depth, overlying a yellow/brown stony subsoil of silty clay. Four fragments of early modern pottery were recovered from the upper topsoil layer.

The post-holes and burnt deposits were fully excavated and the ditches were partially excavated, but no evidence to suggest that any of the features were of archaeological significance was identified. No structural patterns were discernible amongst any of the post-holes or stake-holes identified. The modern pottery recovered in the topsoil layer, along with the black plastic and burnt scrub identified within ditch F155, suggest that the features in this area were modern. The use of the area monitored for pony-jumps prior to development may account for the post-holes, and for the strong magnetic anomalies identified.

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