2015:481 - Farrell Street, Kells, Meath

The site is located with in the zone of archaeological potential associated with Kells ME017-044 and also with in the Kells Architectural Conservation Area; as such an archaeological condition was placed on the planning permission (PlKA141063 – Condition 10), for archaeological monitoring of the development. In consultation with the planners and the developer, in order to avoid any potential conflicts between archaeology and the construction process, it was agreed that a phase of archaeological testing would take place.

The testing revealed four main archaeological features, the first was a north-south running linear feature, a probable ditch, located in Trench 1; the second feature was an east-west running foundation trench or boundary, located in the southern half of Trench 2. As this feature did not appear in Trench 1 it must be assumed that it predates the ditch. The third feature noted at the northern ends of both trenches was an apparently ‘live’ stone-built drain, flowing from east to west. The final feature, noted at the southern ends of both trenches, was a layer of rough cobbling.

Nothing earlier than finds dating to the 18th or 19th century were recovered from the testing.

An examination of the cartographic evidence from the site, reveals that in 1720 the site is shown as relatively open ground and not sub-divided into the classic burgage plots as recorded elsewhere in the town. However by the 183’s and the OS first edition, this area of Farrell Street, had been divided into linear plots associated with the on-going development at that time of the lands to the rear of Farrell Street and Suffolk Street. The results of the testing confirm this, in that the linear ditch, uncovered in Trench 1, with its 18th/19th-century finds, conforms with the land divisions noted on the OS map. It is probable that the foundation/boundary feature, noted in Trench 2, also dates from this period.

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