2008:1327 - DULEEK: Commons, Lonford Road, Meath

The study area comprised three pasture fields, encompassing c. 12 acres. It was located just west-north-west of Duleek village and abutted the vallum of ecclesiastical enclosure ME027–038019, which is still visible in the village street layout. The work followed a geophysical survey (08R279) which revealed extensive remains in the southern portion of the eastern field, adjacent to the ecclesiastical enclosure. The testing comprised 48 trenches of between 15m and 43m long and 2m wide.

In the southern portion of the eastern field, five of the 48 trenches were targeted to test the geophysical anomalies. These trenches confirmed the survey and revealed the presence of densely concentrated features of medieval and probable Early Christian date. Remains included ditches forming substantial enclosures appended to the ecclesiastical enclosure, post-holes, stake-holes, pits and roughly cobbled tempered work surfaces. One sherd of medieval pottery, a worked bone point and large quantities of butchered animal bone were retrieved from the ditches. Elsewhere the test-trenches were mostly devoid of archaeological remains. The only additional features were found in two trenches along the southern side of the south-western field. These comprised two ditches, two post-holes and an area of scorching. One piece of pottery tentatively identified as prehistoric was recovered from one of the post-holes.