2006:657 - Meakstown, Finglas, Antrim

Monitoring was required during the ground-reduction phase of a housing development at Meakstown, Finglas. The north-east corner of the development site is reputed to be the location of Meakstown Castle (DU014–020), the former residence of Sir James Ware (1594–1666). The monitoring follows on from test excavation untaken at the site in 1999 by Nora Birmingham and Leo Swan (Excavations 1999, Nos 242–243, 99E0351). No definitive remains of Meakstown Castle were found in either assessment. The monitoring associated with this phase of work also failed to uncover similar definite archaeological remains relating to the castle.
The results of the monitoring were disappointing, although two ditches orientated east–west, a well and a series of wall foundations of no discernible pattern were discovered. The absence of any buildings on the site on John Rocque’s map of 1760 suggests that the castle site may be located elsewhere. The most likely candidate is the site of Meakstown House, located on the northern side of St Margaret Road immediately to the north of the supposed site of the castle. Meakstown House is clearly illustrated on Rocque’s map.
The site of the castle was occupied by farm buildings covering an area of c. 1 acre. The bulk of these were large concrete sheds with galvanised roofs incorporating earlier stone farm buildings. Boulder clay was identified under the foundations and it was clear that the ground level was significantly reduced when these sheds were built in the middle of the 20th century. Deep deposits of dumped soil were recorded at a depth of more than 1m along the southern fringes of the sheds. The dumped field reclamation deposits became shallower in the south of the reclaimed field. It is likely that these deposits reflect the level of movement of soil during the construction of the sheds and the associated concrete yard to the north on the ‘site of’ the castle.