2011:502 - CHARTERSCHOOL LAND, TRIM, Meath

Test-trenching was carried out in November 2011 on the site of a proposed development in the townland of Charterschool Land and was contracted by Potterton Livestock Auction. The site comprises approximately 4.53ha and is directly to the south of the medieval town of Trim (ME036-048). Charterschool Land is likely to have been part of farmlands outside the Anglo-Norman centre dominated by Trim Castle. The site is adjacent to ME036-026, a rectilinear cropmark identified by study of aerial photography, which is in the field directly to the north-west of the site (in Manorlands 2nd division townland). The site has been part of a geophysical survey by Target Geophysics, when a rectilinear feature was identified on exactly the same spot as ME036-026.
Directly to the north of Charterschool Land is the townland of Commons 3rd division, to the east is Manorlands 1st division and to the west Manorlands 2nd division. The site (which comprises the whole of the townland of Charterschool Land) got its name from the fact that the land was gifted for a Charter School c. 1773. On the first-edition OS map of 1837, the ‘Charter’ school is depicted and marked on the very north-east of the site.
The trenching took place in November 2011 and was preceded by a geophysical survey carried out by Target Geophysics. The geophysical survey identified a small area of possible features. Trenches 1 and 4 were laid out to test these features. In the south-east, another possible feature was deemed to be most probably the result of wire fencing surrounding the southern boundary of the field. This was tested in Trench 6. No archaeological features were found during the test-trenching of the site.

Judith Carroll & Company Ltd, Consultant Archaeologists, 11 Anglesea Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2.