2013:114 - Knowth House Farmyard Complex, Knowth, Meath

A programme of monitoring under ministerial consent was undertaken on a development at Knowth House Farmyard Complex, Co. Meath between November 2012 and February 2013. The site of the proposed development is within the constraints area surrounding Knowth Passage tomb and Archaeological Complex (ME019-030). The proposed development involved the conversion of some of the existing farm buildings for re-use as an exhibition centre, toilets and canteen and the provision of new waste water treatment units, percolation area and all associated services. Advance testing was carried out by Fintan Walsh of IAC Ltd in January 2012? and several features of possible archaeological potential were exposed, some of which were partially or fully excavated during that phase. Monitoring was carried out on the excavation of floors within the existing farm buildings, the excavation of trenches for proposed electric, water and waste water services, and the excavation of larger areas for waste water treatment units, a surface water soak-hole and a percolation area.

The present programme of monitoring confirmed the earlier findings from the assessment phase. It would appear that the area is relatively devoid of archaeological features. In the yard and farm buildings which are the closest to the passage tomb complex, it would appear that the area was substantially scarped in the post-medieval period, probably during the construction phase of the various buildings. Some internal features were located during the excavation of the floors in the farm buildings along the roadside but these were all related to the post-medieval phase of building activity on the site. The trenches excavated through the yard failed to reveal any features of archaeological potential and indeed natural deposits were exposed quite close to the surface in many areas. An imported deposit of brown clay and stones was evident within the buildings and just outside which would suggest that the levels were raised here during the 18^th and 19^th century when the buildings were being constructed.

Further east a number of ditches were exposed in the waste water treatment area, the percolation area and the surface water soak-hole. These are all likely to be post-medieval in date and may represent pre-first edition (1835) field boundaries before the redevelopment of the farm took place. The ditches are aligned with the sloping ground and perpendicular to a number of cultivation furrows exposed at the south-east corner of

the percolation area. A fragment of red brick uncovered during the testing phase from the lower fill of one of the ditches would seem to confirm the post-medieval date for the field boundaries.

The only finds recovered through metal detection and visual inspection were of post-medieval and modern origin and were largely recovered from the topsoil or made up ground and consisted of glass bottles, post-medieval pottery fragments and iron objects which could be regarded as associated with farming practices.

Archaeological Consultancy Services Unit, Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth.