County: Meath Site name: WILLIAMSTOWN OR BAWN, AND PHILPOTSTOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 04E0576
Author: Aidan O'Connell, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 687032m, N 763620m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.615170, -6.684626
An assessment of Testing Area 3 in Contract 3 of the Clonee–North of Kells PPP scheme was undertaken on behalf of Meath County Council. The proposed development consists of c. 880m of the mainline Navan bypass, extending westwards from the Kilcarn interchange, and c. 1.5km of the realigned R161 Trim road, which extends north-south from the bypass towards the middle of the testing area. 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 116 test-trenches were excavated, representing 6187 linear metres. Three archaeological sites were recorded. Williamstown 1 consists of a burnt mound and circular slot-trench at the eastern limit of the testing area. Williamstown 2 contains the three troughs associated with burnt-mound activity, a burnt spread, two pits, a post-hole and a curvilinear ditch. These features were spread across four discrete areas of activity. Philpotstown 1 is the site of the two additional troughs that are located close together, which may be associated with further burnt-mound activity.
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