2006:1551 - DRUMREE (1), Meath

This site was located within Contract 1 (Dunboyne to Dunshaughlin) of the proposed M3 Clonee to north of Kells motorway and was identified during advance testing by Tara O’Neill (Excavations 2004, No. 1225, 04E0481). Between January and February 2006 an area 30m north–south by 45m was fully excavated. The site was located in low-lying terrain at the base of a gently sloping hill adjacent to a stream and had been heavily disturbed by ploughing. A circular trough with an adjacent spread of burnt-mound material and a small cremation pit were discovered in the centre of the site. Approximately 5m to the west of the trough a shallow, slightly curved deposit of charcoal-rich material was exposed. Although containing only small amounts of burnt stone, it may represent a heavily ploughed-out burnt mound. An irregular-shaped deposit containing moderate charcoal flecking and occasional burnt bone was found immediately to the north-west of this deposit.

A series of archaeological features at the higher, north-western, part of the site appear to be related to each other. They consisted of two figure-of-eight-shaped kilns, two bowl furnaces and a number of post-holes. No finds were recovered from any of these features and their stratigraphical relationship to the other archaeological features to the south-east is unknown.

In the south-east part of the site, close to the stream, archaeological activity was represented by a large number of post- and stake-holes and two shallow pits. Although these stake-holes were clearly structural, no obvious reconstruction is possible. It seems likely, however, that they formed a windbreak to the south-west of the two pits. Two further, medium-sized, pits were found to the south of this pit on the slope towards the stream. No finds were recovered from any of these features.

21 Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda