County: Meath Site name: BETAGHSTOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 05E0005
Author: Deirdre Murphy, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd, Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth.
Site type: Habitation site
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 686647m, N 742427m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.424830, -6.696300
Testing in Bettystown, Co. Meath, was carried out in December 2004 in compliance with planning permission for a proposed hotel development (Excavations 2004, No. 1186, 04E1649). Archaeological features were identified and hence excavation was undertaken in 2005. The site is located in the townland of Betaghstown near a cemetery, SMR 21:10, and a holy well, SMR 21:14.
Two areas of archaeological activity were identified. To the east of the site the remains were post-medieval in date and comprised a pit and recut grave pit. The pit had dimensions of 3m by 3.8m by 0.64. At its base this pit was recut and it held the remains of an articulated middle-aged donkey.
To the west of the site a curving ditch was identified; it had dimensions of 1.5m by 25m by 0.3m. It was almost semicircular and as it extended eastwards it was cut by existing buildings. Hence it is probable that the feature was originally a complete enclosure that has since been heavily truncated. It was filled with shell, animal bone and pieces of waste flint. This ditch feature partially enclosed three large oval-shaped pits, with dimensions of 4m by 3m, 3.5m by 2.75m and 1.05m by 1.68m respectively. They had a maximum depth of 0.4m and were probably the remains of refuse pits. Charcoal recovered from one of these pits returned a radiocarbon date of cal AD 430–620 (BP 1520–1320). Charred plant remains within the fills of these pits were identified as hulled barley, oats and a single pip of blackberry (probably intrusive). Charred wood was identified as apple, cherry/plum, willow, ash and hazel. Four roughly circular pits with average diameters of 0.5–0.6m were identified to the north of the ditch. A scatter of small charcoal and oxidised clay spreads were also identified across the site. Charcoal recovered from one of the spreads returned a radiocarbon date of cal AD 550–660 (BP 1400–1280). Animal bone recovered from the features in this area of the site was identified as cattle, sheep, pig, horse, dog, deer and cat. This type of assemblage is typical of occupation debris and may represent waste from a nearby settlement. The molluscan remains also represent food debris and were predominantly cockles and mussels.
