2007:1263 - Baronstown 1, Meath

This site was located within Contract 2 (Dunshaughlin–Navan) of the proposed M3 Clonee to North of Kells motorway scheme and was identified during the geophysical survey of the proposed route undertaken by GSB Prospection. Excavated between September 2006 and April 2007, the site at Baronstown 1 was located on pasturage on the eastern bank of the River Gabhra, some 2.5km to the east of the Hill of Tara and 1.4km to the south-west of Skreen. The principal part of the site was located on the summit of a small hill with the ground sloping steeply down to the river to the west and more gently to the north. This afforded the site a prominent position within the immediate landscape and resulted in commanding views to the north, east and west. The lower ground in these areas would have been subject to flooding prior to canalisation of the river, which could have enhanced the defensive nature of the site.
The ringfort ditch was, on average, 4m wide by 3m deep and V-shaped with a 1m-wide flat base. The ditch had an internal diameter of 40m and a bridged entrance to the south-east, facing towards the early medieval burial site at Collierstown 1 excavated by Robert O’Hara as part of this project (see No. 1286 below, A008/015). There would have been an internal bank but no evidence for it had survived.
A C-shaped ditch with an internal diameter of 14m was located against the northern side of the main enclosure. Although only a few slight features existed internal to the ditch it is probable that the principal round house was located within this ditch.
The enclosure complex was reinforced by the excavation of an outer ditch which, to the south, was parallel to the ringfort ditch but which diverged from that ditch to the west and east creating a large enclosure of 70m by 30m to the north. Further additions were made to the enclosure, always expanding northwards, while internal ditches indicated at least three phases of reorganisation of internal space within the outer enclosure. All the ditches showed evidence of recutting.
The primary fills of the main ringfort ditch were waterlogged and consequently a number of organic finds were recovered including a wooden bucket and barrel-staves. Of particular interest was a turned wooden bowl found adjacent to a scoop with distinct similarities to two examples excavated at nearby Lagore crannog by Hencken. The fill within the bowl was of a colour and consistency to suggest that it may have been butter and that the bowl and scoop may have been placed in the ditch deliberately.
The most common iron finds were small, tanged iron knives of a type typical of the period, with curved-backed blade and a straight cutting edge; the largest, including tang, was 143mm long. Fifteen knives of this type were excavated. Also made of iron were stick-pins, crutch and disc-headed, and a small ring-pin.
Among the copper-alloy finds were a complete ringpin of spiral-ringed, loop-headed form, a bronze penannular brooch with zoomorphic (birds’ head terminals) decoration and a ring brooch with twisted cable design on one half of the frame. The metallic finds suggest that the site may have been occupied throughout the early medieval period from the 6th to the 12th centuries.
A small amount of worked flint formed a backdrop to the finds assemblage, including a bann flake, a barbed and tanged arrowhead and blades and scrapers. No features have been allocated to the prehistoric period but radiocarbon results are awaited.
Animal bone was plentiful, especially from the principal ditch; initial examination provided a familiar picture with cattle, sheep and pig predominating but deer, horse and dog also present. Of particular interest was the ritual deposition of a horse skull on the inner edge of the main ring-ditch at the location of the entrance to the south-east.
At least seven cereal-drying kilns were located within the excavation area and although they need not all have been contemporary with the early medieval occupation of the site they do attest to the importance of grain production at about this time.