County: Meath Site name: GIBBSTOWN DEMESNE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 05E0025
Author: Rosanne Meenan
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 682591m, N 773856m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.707860, -6.749010
The owner of the site proposed to demolish a house and sheds and to construct a new dwelling house. An assessment was required. The development is located some 300m north of the mound (SMR 17:33) marked ‘Rath Airthir’ on the OS in Gibbstown Demesne townland. Rath Airthir was an early site, possibly an inauguration site; the Archaeological Survey of County Meath classifies it as a motte and bailey. The church site of Donaghpatrick (SMR 17:34) is located across the road from Rath Airthir. Both sites are closely associated with St Patrick. The other monuments in the Teltown complex lie to the north, north-west, west and south-east.
Seven test-trenches were excavated by a tracked digger with a 3-ft bucket. A layer of heavy gravel had been placed around the house to improve drainage. The trenches in the immediate vicinity of the house exposed fine brown clay underlying the sod and topsoil. Further out from the house, grey stony sandy subsoil was exposed. Nothing of archaeological interest was exposed in any of the test-trenches.
Roestown, Drumree, Co. Meath
