County: Meath Site name: Arodstown, Summerhill
Sites and Monuments Record No.: ME043-015001 ME043-015002 ME043-015 ME043-016 Licence number: Unlicensed
Author: Donald Murphy
Site type: Non Archaeological
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 688326m, N 750083m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.493340, -6.668900
Monitoring of topsoil stripping was carried out prior to the construction of a detached two-storey dwelling with attached garage, new proprietary wastewater treatment system and percolation area and improvement to existing entrance to site at Arodstown, Summerhill, Co. Meath.
The site is adjacent to a church and graveyard (ME043-015 Church, ME043-015001 Graveyard, ME043-015002 Cross) and approximately 200m west-south-west of a tower-house (ME043-016). Three additional recorded monuments were identified at a further distance from the site, two earthworks and a ringfort – rath.
Topsoil in the area of all proposed groundworks was stripped by mechanical excavator in fulfillment of Condition 11 of Planning Reference No. RA/140756 issued by Meath Co. Council. Following the grant of permission it was discovered that the site contained pyrite and as a result the location of the house had to be altered. This report was prepared for the site as a whole and the footprint of the new house location was also stripped of topsoil under supervision. Owing to the change in house location, a new planning application will be submitted for the site. This report serves to cover the new application as well. Monitoring was carried out on 12 June 2015.
It became apparent very quickly that the site had been stripped before and had been quarried in recent years. No features or deposits of an archaeological nature were identified during the monitoring phase of works.
Archaeological Consultancy Services Unit, Unit 21 Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co Louth
