County: Meath Site name: FERGANSTOWN/BALLYMACON AND BLACKCASTLE DEMESNE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 08E0549
Author: Helen Kavanagh, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 120b Greenpark Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow.
Site type: Linear feature
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 688157m, N 768968m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.663037, -6.666116
Testing was undertaken during January 2009 within the townlands of Ferganstown/Ballymacon and Blackcastle Demesne in advance of the proposed Contract 5, Carn Hill to Proudstown link main, which will be constructed as part of the Navan mid-Meath water supply scheme. Testing was carried out within three areas of archaeological potential. The first area is located within Blackcastle Demesne and is an open area that overlooks the monastic enclosure of Donaghmore to the north-east (ME025–015). A geophysical survey had also been carried out within this area, which indicated potential archaeological anomalies within the route of the proposed pipeline. Nothing of archaeological significance was discovered during testing. The area was found to have been subject to a large amount of disturbance due to the insertion of services in the past.
Area 2 is also located within Blackcastle Demesne, adjacent to the River Boyne and within a former flood-plain. Nothing of archaeological significance was discovered during the excavation of trenches in this area.
Area 3 is located within the townland of Ferganstown and Ballymacon. One potential archaeological feature was discovered during the testing of the pipeline as it passes through this area. This consists of a north–south-orientated linear feature, which was uncovered in Test Trenches 46, 74 and 75. It is 30m long, 1m wide and 0.46m deep but extends north-east beyond the limit of the proposed pipeline corridor. The fill consists of light-brown sandy clay with occasional shell and frequent large stones.
