County: Meath Site name: COMMONS OF LLOYD/RATHBRACK/DERVER/KELLS, CO. MEATH; EDENBURT/POLLINTEMPLE/CARRAKEELTY BEG/CARNAROSS, CO. CAVAN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: Proximity to CA044:011, ME016-009, ME016-016 Licence number: 11E035
Author: Melanie McQuade
Site type: Post-medieval drainage features and surfaces; medieval pit/ditch
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 695901m, N 773900m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.705980, -6.547454
Pipeline trench excavations for the BGE Kells Feeder Main along the route of the N3 roadway from Maghera Cross south and in roads leading from the historic town of Kells were monitored.
Monitoring concentrated on three areas of archaeological potential in the Commons of Lloyd, where several sites are recorded, and in proximity to ringforts at Edenburt, Co. Cavan, and Rathbrack, Co. Meath. No archaeological features or finds were identified at these locations.
Elsewhere along the pipeline route several features were recorded. A series of pits/ditches and a stone drain were exposed within the trench along the Oldcastle Road in proximity to the site of St Mary’s Abbey and c. 20m to the west of the Gate in the town wall.
The earliest feature identified was a patch of in situ burning and charcoal overlying subsoil 0.5m below the road surface. This extended for 1.4m and was cut by a large pit/ditch that contained fragments of animal bone. Another large pit/ditch was located 13m to the east. It was 3m wide and 0.9m deep. The remains of what was probably an occupation layer were identified to the west of the burnt deposit. This was 13m long and 0.4m deep and contained charcoal flecks. There were no finds to indicate the date of these features and the results of radiocarbon analysis are awaited. All of these features were sealed by redeposited subsoil that formed the base for a 3.5m-wide stone lane and the modern road.
Other features recorded along the pipeline route included a large 18th/19th-century drainage feature or possible clay-extraction pit identified on Circular Road. The old railway track was uncovered at the junction of Bective Street and the N52 Mullingar Road. The remains of an old wall or a brick pathway were revealed along the eastern side of the Dublin Road just south of the town of Kells. An old cobbled surface was revealed opposite the forge in Carnaross, Co. Cavan.
Archaeological Development Services Ltd, Unit D, Kells Business Park, Kells, Co. Meath
