2004:1336 - ROESTOWN/COOKSLAND (Testing Area 1), Meath

Testing was carried out in advance of the planned M3 Clonee–North of Kells PPP scheme, Co. Meath, on the Dunshaughlin–Navan section (Contract 2) between March and May 2004. This section of the scheme is c. 15.5km long from the townland of Roestown, north west of Dunshaughlin, to the townland of Ardsallagh, south-west of Navan town. The EIS recommended testing 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.

Testing Area 1 was located in the townlands of Roestown and Cooksland between Chainage 26600 and 27050. Between 25 April and 14 May 2004, 111 test-trenches, totalling 6284 linear metres, were excavated. This represents 10.29% of the lands made available for testing in Testing Area 1 (13926m2 of 135239m2). Six sites of archaeological significance were identified: the remains of two fulachta fiadh, designated Roestown 1 and Cooksland 2; the remains of a charcoal manufacturing kiln, designated Cooksland 1; a complex of enclosures, possibly early medieval in date, which were designated Roestown 2a and Roestown 2b; and the remains of buildings of 19th-century date, designated Roestown 3 and Cooksland 4.

Roestown 1 comprised one possible pit and two troughs filled with charcoal-rich soil with heat-shattered stones. The possible trough was subrectangular and measured 1.72m east-west by 1.55m by 0.4m deep. Located 0.4m north-west of the trough, the first pit was subcircular in shape and measured 0.6m north-south by 0.5m. It was interpreted as a pit filled with charcoal-rich soil and heat-shattered stone. The second pit was located 0.53m south of the first. The visible elements of this feature measured 0.15m east-west by 0.13m.

Spreads of charcoal-rich soil with heat-shattered stones and associated features were identified by testing at Cooksland 2. The largest of these spreads measured 14.9m by 6.9m by 0.2m thick. An oval-shaped trough that measured 2.35m by 1.25m by 0.33m deep was also identified, along with a subrectangular pit that measured 1.88m by 1.02m by 0.16m deep. Both these features were filled with charcoal-rich soil and heat-shattered stones.

Cooksland 1 was the remains of a charcoal-manufacturing kiln or, more properly, a sunken charcoal pile. This feature was subrectangular in shape with rounded corners and measured 1.07m east-west by 0.6m by 0.12m deep. The base and sides were oxidised and the fill was rich in charcoal.

Located on a slight terrace at the former edge of the Red Bog, Roestown 2a and Roestown 2b were a complex of enclosures identified by geophysical survey and confirmed by testing. Roestown 2a was a U-shaped enclosure that measured 50m east-west by 20m. The western end of this enclosure has been destroyed by the present N3. This enclosure was defined by a ditch with a U-shaped profile 2–3m in width and 0.77–0.88m in depth. The fill of this ditch was mainly loose brown silty clays with moderate sub-angular stones and moderate fragments of animal bone. Internal features including gullies and an irregular spread of dark-brown silty loam with much animal bone, medium sub-angular stones and occasional flecks of charcoal, interpreted as disturbed occupation deposits, were also identified. To the south-south-east of this enclosure the remains of a ditch orientated east-north-east/west-south-west were identified. It measured 3.58m wide by 0.76m deep and had four fills, mainly silty clays with occasional fragments of animal bone.

Roestown 2b was located on this same terrace 50m to the south-west of Roestown 2a. This D-shaped enclosure was also identified by geophysical survey and confirmed by the testing. This enclosure measured 70m by 55m and was defined by a ditch with a flat-bottomed profile that ranged in width from 4.3m to 6.4m wide and was 1.1m deep. After a period of natural silting, the southern part of this ditch had been recut on at least three occasions and large quantities of animal bone were recovered from the fills of these recuts. The northern part of the enclosing ditch cut an earlier ditch. Geophysical survey identified a possible smaller enclosure to the south-east. This measured c. 40m by 40m. Possible ditches and numerous gullies were identified in the interior of these enclosures. These also had fills rich in animal bone. The date and function of these features are unknown, although it is likely that some were used for drainage and others to subdivide these enclosures. Others are likely to be later in date. The fills of the majority of these features indicate that they are archaeological in origin. Two metalled surfaces were also identified, along with spreads of burning and pits.

A C-shaped internal enclosure within the main enclosure at Roestown 2b was also identified. This feature measured 20m east-west by 18m and was defined by a ditch 3.1m wide by 1.1m deep. This ditch had a flat-bottomed profile and the fills were rich in animal bone, charcoal, and fire-reddened and heat-shattered stone. It is suggested that these fills resulted from domestic activity and were dumped into the ditch. Two iron possible pins/nails were recovered from these fills. There is no direct physical relationship between this C-shaped enclosure and the larger enclosure.

Based on the location, the morphology and the nature of the fills of the ditches, it is suggested that the enclosures at Roestown 2b are of early medieval date. Roestown 2b is tentatively identified as a ringfort, or an enclosure in that tradition, with an ancillary enclosure, Roestown 2a, to the south-east.

In addition to these sites, the remains of two buildings of 19th-century date, designated Roestown 3 and Cooksland 4, were also identified. Both these are shown on the OS 6-inch map of 1836.

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