County: Westmeath Site name: DEMESNE OR MEARSPARKFARM 7.2
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A015/048
Author: Lydia Cagney, for Valerie J. Keeley Ltd, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny.
Site type: Pit
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 634975m, N 734462m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.359213, -7.474579
Testing along one section of the planned N6 Athlone–Kinnegad, Co. Westmeath, was undertaken on behalf of Westmeath County Council and the National Roads Authority on 9 February 2005. A site consisting of an oval pit was identified during testing. The site was in an area of undulating terrain, currently in use as pasture. It was positioned on the edge of a wetland area at a height of c. 74m OD. This area was located c. 11m north-east of Demesne or Mearsparkfarm 7.1 (see No. 1540 above). It was positioned within the centre-line test-trench, while the latter was located in an adjacent transect.
This site was described as a ‘small shallow deposit of burnt-mound material, containing charcoal and heat-shattered stones’ during the testing phase of the project. It measured 1.6m (max.) in a north–south direction by 1.2m (max.), and had a maximum depth of 0.12m. It was positioned on the brow of a small ridge.
