2007:1269 - Boyerstown 3, Meath

This site was located within Contract 3 (Navan bypass) of the proposed M3 Clonee to North of Kells motorway, was identified during testing by Nigel Fairburn in 2004 (Excavations 2004, No. 1190, 04E0580) and was excavated between June 2006 and 31 March 2007. The remains of two subrectangular enclosures were identified; the earliest (60m by 30m) displayed three internal divisions. There were no internal features and no finds, with the exception of animal bone. One of the internal divisions cut an earlier ditch which was dated to ad 460–650, so Enclosure 1 post-dated this period. Enclosure 2 (45m by 25m) cut through the south-south-east extent of Enclosure 1 and was dated to ad 700–900. An annexe was visible to the north and dated to ad 630–780. Two additional radiocarbon dates were recovered from ditch features; one ran into/was cut by Enclosure 1 and was dated to ad 580–680. A small curvilinear ditch, the function of which is not clear, was cut by Enclosure 2 and was dated to ad 620–700. It is likely to have been associated with Enclosure 1. It is likely that all features on this site represent successive phases of enclosure activity and were broadly contemporary. They may represent phases of enlargement within the site. All of the ditches most likely functioned as animal enclosures.This can be suggested as there is an almost total absence of finds, which is most unusual given the date of the site, the absence of internal features/structural features and the quantity of bone recovered.
Two probable Bronze Age structures have also been revealed. Structure 1 was circular, with a possible outer palisade of posts running west–east in an arc around it. This arc was devoid of artefacts. The structure consists of a circular slot-trench 7m in diameter with sporadic post-holes in the trench. Two large posts on either side of the trench suggest the presence of an entrance on the eastern section. A ring of six posts set in a circle, c. 1.3–1.5m from the internal edge of the slot-trench, suggests the presence of an internal roof support system. There was neither evidence of an internal hearth nor of a compacted floor area. Bronze Age pottery was found within the slot-trench, in one of the internal posts and in an outlying pit presumably associated with the house. The second structure (internal diameter 9.4m) was also delimited by a slot-trench; however, there was no evidence for post-holes cut into the fill of the trench. This structure had no discernible post-holes for roof supports; instead the internal area of the house contained a rather scattered pattern of irregularly spaced stake- and post-holes. This structure also had evidence for a hearth that was placed slightly off centre. A sherd of Late/Middle Bronze Age pottery was recovered near this hearth in a post-hole.
In the western side of the site a ring-ditch with a north-western entrance delimited a series of slot-trenches that extended in all directions. It is unlikely that these trenches served as foundations for house structures as their erratic patterns suggest no regularity. A ‘tadpole’ pit has been interpreted as a timber-bending furnace. The edge of a possible ringfort has also been noted (the main body of it is located outside the land-take). Animal bone, although not found in great quantities, was more prevalent in this area and may suggest that this area of the site was more closely associated with an area of settlement.