County: Meath Site name: DOWDSTOWN 2, DOWDSTOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A008/033
Author: Lydia Cagney, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd, 21 Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda.
Site type: Early medieval enclosure complex
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 689614m, N 762578m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.605376, -6.645907
The site at Dowdstown 2 is located in Contract 2 (Dunshaughlin to Navan) of the M3 Clonee to North of Kells motorway scheme. This multi-phased enclosure complex was first identified during geophysical survey and was later confirmed by testing. These preliminary assessments revealed the existence of a ringfort with an external diameter of c. 40m and two annexes attached to its north-east section.
The majority of the main ringfort enclosure complex is situated on the summit of an east–west-aligned moraine, while a rectangular moate is located downslope to the north-north-west of the enclosures (44–49m OD). Commanding views of the surrounding landscape are visible from this location, including the Hill of Tara situated several kilometres to the south, the River Boyne located only metres from the northern limit of the site, and Dowdstown House and Demesne located to the east. No evidence of this site is visible on the Skinner map, compiled in the 18th century, or on any editions of the OS maps. It is therefore likely that the banks associated with these enclosures were levelled before the 18th century.
Excavation has so far exposed a circular enclosure representing the subsurface remains of an early medieval ringfort, the western half of which was cut by a larger D- or heart-shaped enclosure (60m by 40m). Although these enclosures share a common boundary, excavation has shown that the ringfort ditch was widened and deepened by the excavation of the later, heart-shaped ditch. The decommissioning of the former is believed to be relatively contemporary with the construction of the latter.
Excavation is due for completion in 2006.
