2007:1280 - Castletown Tara 2, Meath

This site was located within Contract 2 (Dunshaughlin–Navan) of the proposed M3 Clonee to North of Kells motorway, was identified during testing by Paul Stevens in 2004 (Excavations 2004, No. 1201, 04E0429) and was excavated between December 2006 and March 2007. The site was located upslope from the excavation at Castletown Tara 1 (see No. 1279 above, A008/025), and immediately west of the present N3 road. The site comprised a series of post- and stake-holes, gullies and pits. Only a handful of possible features were revealed outside of the initial excavation area, and the site remained isolated from the other features excavated as part of Castletown Tara 1.
Nine post-holes roughly forming two parallel rows orientated north-east/south-west were the main focus of activity of this site. A narrow slot-trench ran between the two lines of post-holes, cutting two of them. Other than later stone-filled drains and a number of burnt-out tree throws, no other features were identified. The post-holes did not form a recognisable structural plan, though it is possible that part of the site lay outside of the road-take and will therefore have been destroyed by the present N3 road alignment. There was a lack of artefactual material from the features, and only scant amounts of charcoal recovered from the post-hole fills, so accurate dating may be problematic at best. It is felt, however, based upon typology, that this site represents prehistoric settlement activity.