County: Meath Site name: Boyerstown 3
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A023/013, E3107
Author: Linda Clarke and Terry Connell, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd, 21 Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda.
Site type: Bronze Age structures, field system
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 683252m, N 766242m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.639346, -6.741042
This site was located within Contract 3 (Navan bypass) of the proposed M3 Clonee to north of Kells motorway and was identified during advance testing by Neil Fairburn between April and May 2004 (Excavations 2004, No. 1190, 04E0580) after a geophysical anomaly was observed during the Bartlett-Clark Consultancy survey (2002). Full resolution began in June 2006 and is not yet complete.
The remains of two subrectangular enclosures (60m by 30m and 45m by 25m) have been identified, one of which (ad 700–900) cut through the other. An annexe was added to this later enclosure, dating to ad 630–780. Numerous other linear features and ditches have been identified and it is likely that all these features represent successive phases of enlargement within the site. The ditches may have functioned as animal enclosures. The almost total absence of finds is unusual given the date of the site, as is the absence of internal features/structural features, and the vast quantity of animal bone recovered.
Two probable Bronze Age structures have also been revealed. Structure 1 is circular, with a possible outer palisade of posts running west–east in an arc around it. The structure itself consists of a circular slot-trench, 7m in diameter, with sporadic post-holes in the trench. Two large posts on either side of the trench suggest the presence of an entrance on the eastern section. A ring of six posts, set in a circle, c. 1.5m from the internal edge of the slot-trench suggests the presence of an internal roof support system. There is neither any evidence for an internal hearth nor for a compacted floor area. Bronze Age pottery was associated with this structure.
The second structure (internal diameter 9.4m) was also delimited by a slot-trench; however, there was no evidence for post-holes cut into the fill of the trench. This structure had no discernible post-holes for roof supports; instead, the internal area of the house contained a rather scattered pattern of irregularly spaced stake- and post-holes. This structure also had evidence for a hearth that was placed slightly off-centre. A sherd of late/middle Bronze Age pottery was recovered near this hearth in a post-hole.
