County: Meath Site name: DUNSHAUGHLIN: Grange End
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 06E0603
Author: Rosanne Meenan
Site type: Historic town
Period/Dating: Medieval (AD 400-AD 1600)
ITM: E 696880m, N 752777m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.516035, -6.539201
The site lies immediately north of the zone of archaeological potential for Dunshaughlin, which contains an early monastic site associated with St Seachnaill (ME044–033). The townland of Grange End, immediately north of Dunshaughlin townland, is very small. Its name, size and the field layout all suggest activity in the medieval period. Testing was carried out on the current development site by Donald Murphy in 2002 (Excavations 2002, No. 1453, 02E1358). A pit, three possible ditches and a small curving linear feature were exposed. When planning permission was granted, archaeological monitoring was listed as one of the conditions.
Monitoring of soil-stripping was carried out in October 2005 by Geraldine Dunne. Some patches of burnt clay and charcoal spreads were exposed in the field closest to the public road. A licence was granted to hand-excavate the features.
A number of furrows, gullies and stake-holes were exposed along with an east–west ditch of probable medieval date. Dublin-type pottery was recovered. Footings of a flimsy post-medieval stone structure were exposed at the west end of the site.
Roestown, Drumree, Co. Meath
