2006:1389 - NEWTOWN MONASTERBOICE (Site 20F01), Louth

The site was discovered during monitoring of topsoil-stripping along the route of the proposed south–north gas pipeline to be constructed by Bord Gáis Éireann. The site was located on low-lying ground in Field 1 at Road Crossing 20 (20F01), 17m south of a small winding stream that borders the townlands of Newtown Monasterboice and Timullen to the north. The site was identified as a kidney-shaped spread of a charcoal-rich silt deposit mixed with heat-fractured stone. An area of 10m by 15m was manually cleaned back.

The archaeology at the site consisted of the truncated remains of a waterlogged burnt mound with four clear phases of deposition. Phases I and III were characterised by active use of the mound and resulted in the deposition of substantial amounts of charcoal-rich sediments and heat-fractured stone. Phase II was characterised by a colluvial/slope-wash deposit found between Phases I and III. A fourth phase consisted of a second layer of colluvial material, which partially overlay the southern end of the mound. Both layers of colluviam were characterised by compact light-yellow/grey fine-grained silts. The overall burnt spread measured 5.5m east–west before turning to a north–south orientation and measuring a further 4.75m. It survived to a maximum depth of 0.4m. A fifth phase consisted of the truncation of the southern and western edges of the mound by two field drains.

Excavation revealed no evidence for a trough associated with early, Phase I, activities at the site, but it is possible that evidence may be present in the part of the site that is outside the study area. A sub-oval trough truncated the north-eastern tip of the Phase I mound and was characterised by a compacted clay base. This feature appears to have been in use during Phase III. No finds were retrieved from this site.

Windsor House, 11, Fairview Strand, Fairview, Dublin 3