County: Meath Site name: ROESTOWN (2)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A008/002, E3055
Author: Rob O’Hara, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: Enclosure, Souterrain and Field system
Period/Dating: Medieval (AD 400-AD 1600)
ITM: E 695722m, N 753829m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.525696, -6.556331
This site was located within Contract 2 (Dunshaughlin to Navan) of the proposed M3 Clonee to north of Kells motorway and was identified during geophysical survey undertaken by GSB Prospection (2001). Testing, under the direction of Jonathan Dempsey, took place between April and May 2004 (Excavations 2004, No. 1336, 04E0415) and full resolution of the site began in August 2005. Only a small section of the site remains to be excavated.
A series of successive early medieval enclosures with associated field systems, beginning in the 7th and continuing into the 11th century with limited occupation into the 13th century, has been revealed. There were also tentative indications of prehistoric settlement. A good level of preservation ensured that animal bone was recovered in significant quantities and a wide range of artefacts was recovered, including objects of antler, bone, iron, bronze, silver, amber, glass and wood, in addition to pottery sherds and stone objects. Most features suffered from multiple truncations by later features; the enclosing ditches showed evidence for substantial recutting and many of the smaller associated enclosures also had numerous recuts. It is the recutting of the main ditches that forms the basis for the phasing presented below, which shall be outlined separately, according to each area.
Area A
Five phases in Area A have been identified. An oval-shaped enclosure with attached curving ditches forming smaller ancillary enclosures represents the first phase. E-ware has been recovered from these ditches and bone from an associated dog burial has been radiocarbon dated to AD 630–710. A substantial enclosure was constructed (AD 650–780; AD 620–690) in the place of the Phase 1 enclosure. Phase 3 (not yet scientifically dated) began with the infilling of the Phase 2 enclosure before a similar-sized ditch was constructed that in some places completely removed the earlier ditch.
Many of the radial or associated ditches had also been recut, and this may have occurred during this time. Animal bone was recovered in large quantities. After the Anglo-Norman conquest of Meath in the late 12th century, a small ditched enclosure was constructed at the highest point of the Roestown site and this forms Phase 4. This enclosure was roughly centred within the Phase 3 enclosure, which may still have been visible at the time. The last phase, Phase 5, was particularly destructive, as the naturally elevated area covered by the site was transformed into a terrace for ridge and furrow cultivation. This had the effect of removing or seriously denuding many features that had not been cut into subsoil to any great depth (in particular Phase 1 features), while disturbing and dispersing a number of artefacts across the site from their original contexts. In addition, a quarry was excavated along the roadside, which probably removed evidence for the entrance to the Phase 3 enclosure.
Area B
Early analysis suggests a broadly identical phasing to Area A, outlined above. The main features of Area B consist of a circular gully associated with a circular structure and a D-shaped enclosing ditch (70m by 50m). The primary fills of this ditch provided a range of organic samples and finds not generally found on dryland sites of this period, including a wooden cask. Within the enclosure was a large number of features, the exact phasing of which is still being determined. There were, however, areas of habitation and industry clearly separated by a series of internal ditches. These areas contained various drying kilns and numerous gullies that probably reflect successive phases of buildings. Evidence for metalworking of both ferrous and non-ferrous metals was uncovered across the enclosure. The amount of iron slag recovered was quite small and probably reflects on-site repair of farm equipment, weapons, etc.
A drystone souterrain was situated at the centre of the site and comprised three circular chambers and three passages. The souterrain had beehive-shaped chambers formed by corbelled walls and was originally capped with large stones, although most of the capstones had been removed in antiquity and much of the interior was backfilled.
21 Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda
