2007:1301 - DONACARNEY GREAT/BETAGHSTOWN, Meath

Assessment in two phases was carried out in advance of the construction of 375 dwellings. The planning permission was appealed and then referred to An Bord Planála, which then required archaeological assessment. The site was situated in north-east County Meath. It lay on both side sides of the R150 road from Bettystown to Donacarney. It consisted of two fields west of the road in Donacarney Great townland, which were tested in Phase 1, and three fields east of the road, which were tested in Phase 2. The easternmost of the three fields east of the road was located in Betaghstown townland, while the western two fields were in Donacarney townland. The land is c. 10–20m OD.

In Phase 1, 28 test-trenches, 2m wide, giving a total of 1942 linear metres, were excavated by mechanical digger in the two fields west of the R150.

Twenty-two test-trenches were excavated in Field 1, a total of 1381 linear metres. No archaeological material was observed in Trenches 1, 4–8 and 10–13. Trenches 2, 3, 9, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 26, 27 and 28 contained archaeological material. These trenches were located towards the east edge of Field 1, about halfway along its eastern boundary. There is a gentle rise in the ground in this area. The archaeological material consisted of mostly linear areas of fill with moderately occurring inclusions of animal bone and shell, and very occasional charcoal. In the area of these trenches, animal bone occurred occasionally on top of the gravel when it was exposed. This bone appeared to be at the interface of the topsoil and gravel, and was in general an indicator of the proximity of features with archaeological potential. Except for a metal fragment, no artefacts were recovered.

Six trenches were excavated in Field 2, a total of 561 linear metres. No material of an archaeological nature was observed in any of the test-trenches in Field 2.

In the north-west corner of Field 1 an area measuring c. 25m east–west by 56m was stripped of topsoil for a compound. The depth of the topsoil-strip was generally 0.26m and a maximum depth of 0.45m, and the natural subsoil was not reached. The sod was removed and the topsoil was mid-brown clayey silt with occasional stones.

No material of an archaeological nature was observed during the monitoring.

The road was widened by the developer. It was therefore necessary to remove the ditch along the road and strip topsoil in preparation for this. The topsoil-stripping was monitored. The area stripped was 8–10m wide on both sides of the road, and no material of an archaeological nature was observed. A topsoil-strip to reveal the full extent of the archaeology, followed by archaeological resolution and preservation by record, in advance of development, was recommended.

In Phase 2, 51 test-trenches, 2m wide, giving a total of 2741.85 linear metres, were excavated by mechanical digger in the three fields east of the R150.

Twenty test-trenches were excavated in Field 3, a total of 1031.15 linear metres. No archaeological material was observed in Trenches 30–39, 48–54, and 29 south.

The north end of Trench 29 started at 0.3m deep, but the topsoil became deeper with the rise of the hill and the depth of the trench was 0.7m at the first break for power lines. The soil profile was 0.4m of sod and grey/brown silt topsoil over 0.2m of red/brown silt over grey gravel natural subsoil on the trench floor. Six anomalies were observed in the north part of T29. F33 occurred 0.36m below ground level. It ran east–west across the trench and measured 3.8m wide. The fill was black sandy and clayey silt with moderate stone inclusions and occasional animal bone and shell. F34 occurred 0.35m below ground level. It ran east–west across the trench floor and measured 1.5m wide. The fill was dark-brown stony sandy silt with occasional animal-bone inclusions. F35 occurred 0.4m below ground level. It ran east–west across the trench floor and measured 1m wide. The fill was dark-brown sandy silt with frequent stones and occasional animal-bone inclusions. F36 occurred 0.4m below ground level. It ran north-west/south-east across the trench and measured 0.3m wide. The fill was dark-brown clayey silt with 45–60% stones. F37 occurred 0.42m below ground level. It was a poorly defined feature running across the trench c. 1.3m wide. The fill was dark-brown/black sandy silt with moderate stone and occasional animal-bone inclusions. F38 occurred 0.5m below ground level. It ran north-east/south-west across the trench and measured 3.2m wide. The fill was brown sandy silt. A section was inserted in F38 as it was unclear whether it was a natural or archaeological feature. It was 0.38m deep and archaeologically sterile, with 30–40% small stones and occasional larger angular stones.

Trench 40 was oriented east–west and measured 46m by 2m. The general depth was 0.4m. The soil profile was 0.35m of sod and grey/brown silty topsoil over 0.1m of red/brown silt subsoil. At 4.6m from the north end of the trench, 0.4m below ground level, there was an area of dark-grey silt with inclusions of animal bone and occasional charcoal, F39a. It was irregularly shaped, 3m long on the west side of the trench and c. 1m long on the east. South of this on the east side of the trench, at 0.35m below ground level, was F39, a semicircular area of black silty clay with inclusions of animal bone and occasional sandstone. It measured c. 2m long, and ran eastwards out of the trench. These features were apparently cut into sterile natural red/brown sand. Three bands of archaeological material occurred further south. F40 was a band of grey silt and charcoal c. 0.7m wide which crossed the trench obliquely. F41 was a band of grey silt c. 0.5m wide, parallel to F40, and 0.5m south of it. A band of sterile natural red/brown sand 0.5m wide separated F40 from F41. F42 was a band of grey silt with occasional animal-bone, charcoal and red sandstone inclusions c. 3m wide, and immediately south of F41. The rest of Trench 40 had a floor of grey stony natural gravel which was archaeologically sterile.

Thirteen trenches were excavated in Field 4, a total of 840.9 linear metres. No archaeological material was observed in Trenches 42, 43, 44 and 57.

Trench 41 was oriented north–south and measured 210m by 2m. The trench was 0.35–0.5m deep. Several anomalies were observed in the trench. F43 occurred 0.38m below ground level. It was a layer of grey/brown silty clay with animal-bone inclusions, measuring 0.8m by 0.3m. In the trench profile it measured 0.8m in both trench walls, and 0.3m deep. The bottom of the trench was mid-brown sandy silt with moderate small stone inclusions. F44 occurred 0.4m below ground level. It measured 0.9m in overall depth and was 4.7m wide. The fill of F44 was grey sandy clay with occasional animal bone. The trench floor below it was red/brown clay subsoil with small rounded stones. F44 was possibly a ditch. F45 occurred 0.5m below ground level. It was a circular feature 0.3m in diameter. The fill was grey/brown silt with moderate small stone and occasional charcoal inclusions. F46, 47 and 48 were linear marks running north–south in the trench floor. The features occurred 0.3m below ground level and measured 2m long. F47 was 0.35m east of F46; F48 was 0.7m east of F47. F49 occurred 0.3m below ground level. It was a linear feature 12m long by 0.4m wide oriented north–south.

Trench 45 was oriented north–south and measured 76m by 2m. The soil profile was 0.2–0.3m of sod and mid-brown silty topsoil over grey gravel on the trench floor.

Several anomalies were observed in the trench. F50 occurred 0.45m below ground level. It was a linear feature running obliquely across the trench, 1.5m wide. The fill was grey silt with charcoal and animal-bone inclusions. F51 occurred 0.5m below ground level. It was a large area of fill running obliquely across the trench floor measuring 12.3m wide. A stone drain ran across the trench in F51 at the south end of it. The fill of the feature was dark-grey silt with animal-bone inclusions. F52 occurred 0.6m below ground level. It was a linear feature running obliquely across the trench, 0.45m wide. The fill was loose grey sandy silt with stone inclusions. F53 occurred 0.5m below ground level. It was a line of stones 0.4m wide, possibly a stone-filled drain. F54 occurred 0.4m below ground level. It was a stone-filled linear feature running along the west wall of the trench for 15.5m. There was animal bone visible in the top of it. F55 occurred 0.4m below ground level. It was a linear stony feature that ran along the west edge of the trench for 15.5m. F57 occurred 0.4m below ground level. It was a land drain that ran obliquely across the trench floor. F58 occurred 0.4m below ground level. It was a 2m-wide area of grey sandy silt running obliquely across the trench floor.

Trench 46 was oriented north–south and measured 76m by 2m. The general depth was 0.5m. The soil profile was 0.2–0.3m of sod and mid-brown silty topsoil over 0.1m of red/brown clayey silt subsoil over grey gravel subsoil on the trench floor.

Several anomalies were observed in Trench 46. F59 was a linear feature running east–west across the trench floor, measuring 0.38m wide. The fill was grey/brown clayey silt with animal-bone and shell inclusions. F60 was an area of fill 10.7m wide. The fill was grey/brown clayey silt with occasional animal bone. A section inserted in F60 proved the feature to be 1.4m deep from ground level, with natural gravel beneath it. F61 was a circular feature 0.9m in diameter. The fill was grey/brown clayey silt with occasional animal bone. F62 was an area of fill 11.2m wide. The fill was grey/brown clayey silt. F63 occurred 0.5m below ground level. It was a circular feature 1m in diameter. The fill was grey silt with moderate stone and occasional shell and charcoal inclusions. F64 occurred 0.5m below ground level. It was an area of fill 5.8m wide. The fill was grey/brown silt with bone inclusions. F65 occurred 0.5m below ground level. It was a linear feature which ran obliquely across the trench, 0.45m wide. The fill was grey/brown clayey silt with moderate small stone and occasional charcoal and shell inclusions. F67 occurred 0.45m below ground level. It was a band of grey/brown silt with no inclusions, possibly not archaeological. F68 occurred 0.5m below ground level. It was a band of fill oriented north–south in the centre of the trench, 0.4m wide by 1.9m long. The fill was grey silt with shell inclusions. A piece of flint was recovered from the fill. F69 occurred 0.5m below ground level. It was a band of grey silt 0.8m wide.

Trench 47 was oriented north–south and measured 74.4m by 2m. The general depth was 0.5m. The soil profile was 0.2–0.3m of sod and mid-brown silty topsoil over 0.1m of red/brown clayey silt over grey gravel on the trench floor. Several anomalies were observed in Trench 47. F70 occurred 0.4m below ground level. It was a linear feature crossing the floor of the trench, 0.4m wide. The fill was dark-brown sandy silt. F71 occurred 0.5m below ground level. It was a deposit of fill 5m wide. The fill was grey clayey silt. There was a bone visible in the fill, possibly an animal bone. F72 was a circular area of black silt 0.35m in diameter. F73 was a linear area of dark-grey clayey silt with bone inclusions 0.5m below ground level. F74 was a band of grey clayey silt with bone inclusions. It occurred 0.4m below ground level. There were human long bones and metatarsals visible in the fill, Burial 1.

Trench 55 was oriented north–south and measured 80m by 2m. The general depth was 0.5m. The soil profile was 0.2–0.35m of sod and mid-brown silty topsoil over 0.1.5m of grey/brown clayey silt subsoil over grey gravel on the trench floor. Several anomalies were observed in Trench 55. F75 occurred 0.5m below ground level. It was a linear feature running across the trench, 0.8m wide. The fill was grey clayey silt with animal-bone inclusions. F76 occurred 0.55m below ground level. It was an irregular-shaped feature measuring 0.55m by 0.2m. The fill was grey silty clay with charcoal inclusions. F77 occurred 0.6m below ground level. It was roughly subrectangular, measuring 0.4m by 0.15m. The fill was grey silty clay with charcoal inclusions. F78 occurred 0.52m below ground level. It was a band of grey silty clay with occasional bone, shell and charcoal inclusions, 0.7m wide. F79 occurred 0.55m below ground level. It was a band of grey clayey silt, 3m wide. It was possibly a non-archaeological feature. F80 occurred 0.45m below ground level. There was bone in this feature, which appeared to be a human skull, Burial 2. F81 occurred 0.45m below ground level. There was bone in this feature, which appeared to be a human skull, Burial 3. F82 occurred 0.4m below ground level. There was bone in this feature, which appeared to be a human skull, Burial 4. F83 occurred 0.42m below ground level. It was a linear feature running obliquely across the trench floor, 0.3m wide. The fill was grey silt. F84 occurred 0.4m below ground level. It was a band of loose stony dark-brown clayey silt. A fragment of a quernstone was uncovered in the fill. F85 occurred 0.38m below ground level. It was a linear feature 1.1m wide running across the trench floor. The fill was grey clayey silt with occasional bone inclusions. F86 occurred 0.4m below ground level. It was an 8m band of grey clayey silt with occasional animal-bone inclusions. Feature 87 occurred 0.38m below ground level. It ran obliquely across the trench floor and measured 2m wide. The fill was grey clayey silt. F88 occurred 0.35m below ground level. It ran obliquely across the trench floor and measured 1.8m wide. The fill was grey clayey silt with shell inclusions. F89 was a semicircular feature in the south-west end of F88. The fill was grey clayey silt with frequent shell inclusions. F90 occurred 0.47m below ground level. It was a 6.1m-wide band of grey clayey silt fill with animal-bone inclusions.

Trench 56 was oriented north–south and measured 67m by 2m. The general depth was 0.55m. The soil profile was 0.25–0.4m of sod and mid-brown silty topsoil over grey sandy silt and gravel on the trench floor. Two anomalies were observed in the trench. F91 was an area of fill running from the north end of the trench for 6m. The fill was grey clayey silt with no inclusions. F92 was an area of stony grey fill with bone inclusions, 3.8m wide.

Trench 58 was oriented east–west and measured 24.5m. The general depth was 0.55m. The soil profile was 0.25m of sod and topsoil over 0.3m of red/brown clayey silt. Two anomalies were observed in the trench. F93 occurred 0.45m below ground level. It was an area of grey fill with a maximum width of 8.8m. In the north-east corner of F93 there was a small area of dark charcoal-rich silt. F94 occurred 0.6m below the ground level. It ran obliquely across the trench floor and was a maximum width of 3m. The fill was stony grey clayey silt.

Trench 59 was oriented east–west and measured 41m. The general depth was 0.35–0.45m. The soil profile was 0.3–0.4m of sod and mid-brown silty topsoil over 0.05–0.1m of red/brown clayey silt. Six anomalies were observed in the trench. F95 occurred 0.25m below ground level. It was a subrectangular area of dark-grey clayey silt with occasional animal-bone and charcoal inclusions. It measured 1.2m by 1m and continued underneath the north trench wall. F96 occurred 0.45m below ground level. It was an irregularly shaped area of stony dark-grey sandy silt with occasional bone inclusions. It was a maximum of 10m wide. It contained a fragment of decorated bone, possibly part of a comb. F97 occurred 0.4m below ground level. It was a linear feature 1.6m long by 0.6m wide. The fill was stony, dark-grey sandy silt with no inclusions. F98 occurred 0.4m below ground level. It was a band of dark-grey, clayey silt 0.8m wide. F99 occurred 0.28m below ground level. It was an irregularly shaped area of stony, dark-grey sandy silt measuring a maximum of 5m. F100 was at the west end of the trench, 0.25m below ground level. It was an indefinite area of stony dark-grey sandy silt with occasional animal-bone inclusions.

Trench 60 was oriented east–west and measured 39m by 2m. The general depth was 0.35–0.48m. The soil profile was 0.3–0.4m of sod and grey/brown silty topsoil over 0.1m of grey/brown clayey silt subsoil. Five anomalies were observed in the trench. F101 occurred 0.45m below ground level. It was a band of stony grey/brown clayey silt with occasional animal-bone inclusions. The maximum width was 3.7m. F102 occurred 0.4m below ground level. The feature was an 8m-wide area of stony dark-grey sandy silt. F103 occurred 0.48m below ground level. It was a roughly circular feature 0.4m in diameter. The fill was dark-grey clayey silt with occasional animal-bone and shell inclusions. F104 was immediately west of F103 and was also a roughly circular feature. The fill was dark-grey silt with occasional shell inclusions. F105 occurred 0.45m below ground level. It was a band of stony dark-grey sandy silt, 4m wide.

Twenty trenches were excavated in Field 5, a total of 869.8m linear metres.

Field 5, in Betaghstown townland, was generally at least 2m lower than Fields 3 and 4. It was marshy, and had a gentle low-lying waterlogged bowl in the centre, terrain typically used to site a fulacht fiadh. However, despite intensive test-trenching, no archaeological material was disclosed in the trenches, which were numbers 61 to 81. The two anomalies observed, in Trench 61 and Trench 65, were investigated, and were not archaeological in nature.