County: Meath Site name: KELLS: Royal Drive Developments, Townparks
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 05E0466 ext.
Author: Damian Finn, for ADS Ltd.
Site type: Enclosure
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 672235m, N 777217m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.739586, -6.905045
During monitoring of topsoil-stripping carried out from 10 May 2005 to 28 June 2006, a large circular palisade enclosure (diameter c. 60m) with an internal curving ditch running around the base of a low hill on the edge of the Blackwater River was uncovered (Excavations 2005, No. 1187). The licence was then transferred to Ruth Elliott. Excavations were carried out in two phases, initially by Ruth Elliott and completed by Nicola Rohan.
The first phase was carried out by Ruth Elliott in August 2006 (see No. 1584, Excavations 2006), leaving an area of the site unresolved under a topsoil storage heap. The topsoil heap was removed in October 2006 by Nicola Rohan, revealing more palisade post-holes and a further extent of the internal curving ditch (see No. 1585, Excavations 2006). Prehistoric pottery was also discovered by Nicola Rohan during her excavations of the site.
Windsor House, 11 Fairview Strand, Fairview, Dublin 3
