County: Dublin Site name: MEAKSTOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: DU014–020 Licence number: 05E0044 ext.
Author: Melanie McQuade, Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd.
Site type: Habitation site, Enclosure and Structure
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 713516m, N 740984m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.406778, -6.292721
This site was located on a greenfield site to the north of Finglas village. Excavations were undertaken on foot of an assessment. The area of excavation measured c. 80m by 30m and three levels of activity were identified dating to the prehistoric, medieval and post-medieval periods.
The earliest activity on site was represented by a sump pit and a drainage ditch. The second phase of activity during Level 1 was represented by another ditch, which cut the sump pit. The only find from Level 1 features was a flint scraper from the Phase 2 ditch, which suggests that Level 1 dates to the prehistoric period. Other evidence for prehistoric activity came from two flint arrowheads. These were residual pieces recovered from Level 2 ditches which have been dated to the medieval period.
The next activity on site, Level 2, dates from the medieval period (late 12th–14th century) and two phases were evident within this level. Phase 1 was represented by a stone surface on the southern excavation area, a series of drainage ditches across the site and a centrally located refuse pit. The stone surface covered an area of 5m by 6.5m. It was enclosed on its western side by a curvilinear ditch, F23. This ditch was probably part of a circular enclosure, the eastern extent of which had been truncated by later activity on site. The remains of the ditch were 15.1m long, between 0.8m and 2.2m wide and up to 0.46m deep. A smaller curvilinear ditch on the west of the site may have been part of a field boundary or animal enclosure. It was 14m long, 0.75m wide and 0.35m deep.
Level 2, Phase 2, was represented by a series of linear ditches, two soak pits and a refuse pit. A series of shallow linear ditches (all less than 0.4m deep) probably served as field drains and were subsequently backfilled with domestic refuse (animal bone fragments and numerous sherds of medieval pottery). A substantial linear ditch, F10, in the centre of the excavation area may have been a property boundary. It was oriented north–south and cut through the western edge of the Phase 1 curvilinear ditch F23. The ditch was 27.5m long, between 0.7m and 1.6m wide and 0.4m to 0.9m deep. There were four fills within this ditch, which suggests that it filled in gradually over time. Another long linear ditch, F49, ran parallel to F10 on the western excavation area. This ditch was 14.75m long and 0.8–1.2m wide but was only 0.31m deep.
Finds from Level 2 include a large assemblage of pottery, the majority of which was locally produced ware, and several metal artefacts. The pottery assemblage indicates that little time had passed between Phases 1 and 2.
Three phases of post-medieval activity were evident on site. These were characterised by ditch features relating to settlement and/or agricultural activity. The third phase was represented by a curving wall foundation, which was probably a garden feature associated with the 18th-century dwelling that had occupied the eastern part of the site.
27 Merrion Square, Dublin 2
