County: Westmeath Site name: OLD RELIC ROAD, KILBEGGAN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 04E1327
Author: David Sweetman, Roestown, Drumree, Co. Meath, for Archaeological Development Services Ltd.
Site type: Medieval burial ground
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 633645m, N 735105m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.365076, -7.494486
A geophysical survey was carried out on this site, which lies within the zone of archaeological potential and c. 30m to the west of the Cistercian abbey of Kilbeggan. The survey showed a large number of potential features. The site was trenched specifically to test these anomalies. In some instances the anomalies were due to natural phenomena, but elsewhere they were revealed as ditches, most of which appeared to be for drainage purposes.
One trench was cut through human remains that had been buried in shallow graves just below the overburden. Some human remains were noted in the side of the test-trench. Further extensive stripping of topsoil by Owen Corcoran during 2005 revealed a large quantity of burials enclosed by a ditch (to be included in Excavations 2005).
