2010:530 - Newtownmoyaghy, Meath

Testing was undertaken in advance of a proposed distribution road and associated works at Newtownmoyaghy, Kilcock, Co. Meath. The work was untaken on behalf of McGarrell Reilly Homes between 11 and 14 October 2010. The proposed distributor road traverses both the Rye Water flood-plain and the higher flat ground. Testing was carried out in conjunction with a geophysical survey of the site undertaken by John Nichols of Target Geophysics (10R138). A total of 49 trenches were excavated within the area of proposed development. Testing was confined to the limit of the proposed distribution road and associated flood mitigation works.
The anomalies highlighted in the geophysical survey as being of archaeological potential appear to have been from natural sources, as no archaeological remains were identified in the test-trenches excavated across the anomalies. A metal-detection assessment of the material dredged from the Rye Water yielded nothing of archaeological significance.
Two areas of archaeological activity, burnt spreads, were identified during the testing programme. The first burnt spread measured 7.14m x 6.52m x 0.1m deep. The second measured 10.4m x 10.9m x 0.15m deep. These comprised black silty clay with charcoal and heat-affected stone inclusions. The proposed flood alleviation works will have an adverse impact on these burnt spreads, so it was recommended that they be fully excavated prior to the development works.
An area in the south and south-west of the test area was not tested, as the ground had been severely disturbed during recent sewerage pipe-laying works. These sewerage works also appear to have disturbed a large length of what the EIS identified as mounds of upcast riverine silts on the banks of the Rye Water River.