County: Meath Site name: Blackcastle Demense
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 16E0518
Author: Tony Cummins for John Cronin and Associates
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 687801m, N 768305m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.657132, -6.671690
Linear test trenching with localised targeted trenches at potential features identified during a geophysical survey was undertaken at a proposed housing development east of Navan town. Investigations incorporated the use of a metal-detector to assist in artefact retrieval (16R180) The site comprises a large open green field area to the east of the burnt-out remains of Blackcastle House and is shown as sparsely wooded parkland on historic OSI mapping. Nothing of archaeological significance was encountered during archaeological investigations undertaken within adjacent lands in advance of now completed housing schemes (David Sweetman: 03E0998 & 04E1211 and Carmel Duffy: 05E1260).
The geophysical survey of the subject site was undertaken by J.M. Leigh Surveys in August 2016 (16R0163). This identified a right-angled linear feature, noted as a potential small rectilinear enclosure, extending into the north end of the site and other dispersed isolated responses tentatively interpreted as being of archaeological potential. The location of the rectilinear feature was within an area of disturbed ground at an informal entrance to the recently constructed housing development to the north. Test trenching at this location uncovered the fill of a 0.8m wide trench which was visible on the surface of the topsoil layer following the removal of the sod. A section was manually excavated into this feature and revealed it to be a straight-edged, machine-excavated cut with a sterile, homogenous fill that was still present at a depth of 1.3m below modern ground surface. This modern feature appears to be the result of an unknown activity on the margins of the existing housing development, perhaps at the terminus of a service line due to connect with a potential development within the subject site.
Testing of the other geophysical features identified within the site revealed tree-pits, a footpath visible on the first edition 6” map, various land drains and localised areas of bedrock outcrops. There were occasional cultural inclusions encountered within the trenches and these mainly consisted of modern debris, 19th/20th-century pottery and brick fragments.
Unit 3A Westpoint Trade Centre, Ballincollig, Co. Cork
