County: Meath Site name: Racecourse Field, Devenish Lands at Dowth
Sites and Monuments Record No.: ME020-081---- Licence number: 18E0047
Author: Clíodhna Ní Lionáin
Site type: Co-axial field system, enclosure
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 703785m, N 774702m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.711670, -6.427827
Archaeological monitoring of a tree-planting programme and associated groundworks was undertaken in the spring of 2018 in the Racecourse Field on the Devenish Lands at Dowth, where geophysical survey (Detection Licence 12R0080 ext.) had previously identified the presence of a co-axial field system (ME020-081----). In total, 87 planting locations were monitored, 15 of which contained geophysical anomalies that were assessed by excavating a slightly wider area than was required for planting.
Ditch elements of the co-axial field system were identified in two planting locations in the northern half of the field. In the north-east quadrant, a relatively sterile, but clearly visible, blunted V-shaped ditch was identified, while the more amorphous nature of the ditch excavated in the north-west quadrant may have been caused by damage from the 18th-century planting programme. No diagnostic artefactual material was recovered from the field system ditches, but the general nature of the artefact assemblage may indicate a prehistoric date.
Part of an oval enclosure ditch in the south-east quadrant of the field was excavated. Though the ditch did not contain any diagnostic material, a post-hole with stone packing that was cut into its upper fill contained a sherd of Early Neolithic pottery. If this artefact does not represent a curated object, this provides a terminus ante quem for the enclosure ditch. While radiocarbon dating is required to confirm this chronology, it is possible that the enclosure is Early Neolithic in date. The relationship between the enclosure and the co-axial field system is not yet known.
A comprehensive sieving programme was also undertaken, but no significant artefact concentrations were recorded. Though significant spatial patterning was absent, the nature of the material recovered suggests that there is prehistoric material in the plough soil across this field. Post-excavation analysis is currently ongoing.
Devenish, Dowth Hall, Dowth, Co. Meath
