2007:1271 - Bryanstown, Meath

In advance of the construction of a new link road a series of archaeological works have been commissioned by Declan Brassil & Co. Ltd and undertaken by ACS Ltd and Target Geophysics. Approximately 9000m of test-trenches was excavated along the line of the new link road between the M1 roundabout, south-west of Drogheda, and the N1 at Colpe Cross, to the south-east of Drogheda. A series of archaeological works on this proposed link road has been undertaken, including an impact assessment, a geophysical survey and limited investigations of four standing sites which may have been of archaeological interest (see No. 1270 above, 07E0565).
The test-trenching comprised a centre-line test-trench along the entire route with offset trenches located every 20–30m. Additional trenches were excavated over the areas where the geophysical survey indicated possible archaeological features or deposits. Seven new archaeological sites were located. Six of these were burnt-mound sites of varying sizes while the seventh site was a small ring-ditch with associated pits. It was not possible to test the very western end of the proposed route as it was under crop, and this area shall be returned to at a later date. The sites have been named Bryanstown 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, with Bryanstown 2 and 3 being the medieval and post-medieval bridges investigated under 07E0565.
Bryanstown 1 – ring-ditch with pits
Three definite archaeological features were located at this site, the small hearth F10, the small pit F12 and the curvilinear feature F14. F10 was circular in plan with a diameter of 0.6m. It was half-sectioned and found to have a depth of just 0.03m. F12 was circular in plan with a diameter of 1.1m. This pit was not excavated but its upper fill was a soft greyish-black silty clay with frequent small stones and fragmented animal bone. F14 measured 10m east–west by 4m. It extended beyond the excavated area to the east, where a wide field boundary had presumably removed much of the rest of its course. Two sections were excavated through this feature, which was around 0.9m in width and 0.4m in depth, with fairly steeply sloping sides and a narrow grooved base.
Bryanstown 4 – burnt-mound site
A series of four pits were located at this site, arranged over a distance of around 20m. Pit F18 was a narrow rectangular shape measuring 2.93m in length and 0.5m in width. Pit F20 was subcircular in plan measuring 1.1m north–south by 0.9m. Pit F22 was subrectangular in plan with a length of 1.16m east–west by 1.08m. Pit F24 was oval in plan measuring 1.44m north–south by 1.34m. It was half-sectioned and found to be a maximum of 0.35m in depth with steeply sloping, somewhat irregular sides. All of these features are typical of the troughs associated with burnt-stone mound sites.
Bryanstown 5 – burnt-mound site
Two burnt spreads were exposed at this site, located in close proximity. F26 consisted of a small spread of burnt material 20m from the south-western end of Trench 1. It measured 4m by 1m and consisted of a spread of dark-brown/black-coloured clay containing frequent inclusions of angular and heat-shattered stone. F27 also consisted of a small spread of burnt material 31m from the south-western end of Trench 2. It measured 2m in length by 2m in width and consisted of a small spread of dark-brown/black-coloured clay containing frequent inclusions of angular and heat-shattered stone.
Bryanstown 6 – burnt-mound site
The remains of a small burnt spread were exposed at this site. The burnt spread was oval in shape and measured 5m by 3m and was exposed within Trenches 5 and 6 at a depth of 0.55m. It consisted of a spread of black-coloured clay containing frequent inclusions of angular and heat-shattered stone.
Bryanstown 7 – burnt-mound site
The remains of a small burnt mound were exposed at this site. The burnt spread was oval in shape and measured 10m by 8m and consisted of a black-coloured clay containing frequent inclusions of angular and heat-shattered stone.
Bryanstown 8 – burnt-mound site
A large burnt mound was located at this site. The burnt spread was roughly oval in shape and measured c. 30m by c. 20m and consisted of a black-coloured clay containing frequent inclusions of charcoal and angular and heat-shattered stone.
Bryanstown 9 – burnt-mound site
A large oval spread of burnt stone was located at this site. It measured 14m east–west by 6m. Probing in several places indicated that the spread was 0.1–0.15m in depth. This site is a burnt-stone mound, which may overlie other associated features. A second large oval spread of burnt stone was located to the west. It measured 14m east–west by 6m. Probing in several places indicated that the spread was 0.1–0.15m in depth. This site is a burnt-stone mound, which may overlie other associated features.
Two large and four small pits were identified in the area between the two burnt spreads. Pit F31 was oval in plan and measured 0.1m by 0.8m. Pit F33 was also oval in plan and measured 1m by 0.9m. These pits are thought to represent the troughs associated with a burnt-stone mound site. The four small pits were all oval in shape and less than 0.75m in length. They were all filled with a mixture of heat-shattered stone and black silty soil and are thought to represent pits associated with a burnt-mound site.