County: Westmeath Site name: Williamstown 1
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A016/032; E2660
Author: Ed Lyne, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 120B Greenpark Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow.
Site type: Pit and burnt spread
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 612355m, N 738471m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.396255, -7.814231
Testing was carried out as part of an archaeological mitigation programme associated with the N6 Kilbeggan to Athlone dual carriageway. The site was identified during testing undertaken by Yvonne Whitty, IAC Ltd, in August 2005 (A016/029). The site was excavated in April 2006. An excavation area measuring 20m by 20m was opened.
Williamstown 1 comprised a sizeable mound of burnt and heat-shattered stones on the side of a south-east-facing small hill. In form and material the spreads appear to fall into the category of a burnt-mound site, which would typically be Bronze Age in date. On removal of the spreads a number of cut features were identified; two of these appeared to be possible troughs. A number of possibly later features were also recorded on site. The remaining cut features all consist of somewhat irregular small pits, some of which may represent no more than stone-sockets. These pits were all filled with burnt-spread-like material which may or may not be man-made.
Seven lithic finds from the site were sent for specialist analysis and were deemed to be retouched tools and waste from lithic production. Initial analysis of the lithic assemblage dates the finds to the Neolithic period. This therefore suggests Neolithic activity in the area of Williamstown 1.
This work was funded by Westmeath County Council and the National Roads Authority.
Editor’s note: Although excavated during 2006, the report on this site arrived too late for inclusion in the bulletin of that year.
