County: Westmeath Site name: Crosserdree 1
Sites and Monuments Record No.: WM013-083 Licence number: 18E0603
Author: Ian Russell
Site type: Post-medieval boundaries
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 653700m, N 758429m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.573001, -7.189219
Archaeological excavation took place at Crosserdree1in advance of the proposed N52 Cloghan to Billistown Phase 2 – Turin to Billistown Realignment, Co. Westmeath.
The site was identified during Stage(i) archaeological testing of the proposed N52 Turin to Billistown Realignment carried out by Archaeological Management Solutions(AMS) and Archaeological Consultancy Services Unit (ACSU) on behalf of Westmeath County Council between 16 and 31 July 2018 under Excavation Licence No. 18E0375.
As part of the Stage (ii) pre-excavation services from 24 September to 1 October 2018, an area measuring 1177 m² centred on these features was stripped of topsoil by mechanical excavator, cleaned by a team of archaeologists and planned. Excavation was then carried out by Ian Russell between 8 and 9 October 2018 under Licence No. 18E0603. The site at Crosserdree 1 had been cut by three field boundaries, two orientated north-west/south-east (C49 & C111) and one orientated north-east/south-west (C113). One area of oxidised clay representing land clearance (C110) was also exposed to the south-west. All three field boundaries are clearly represented on the first edition OS map of 1837 and represent late 18th–early 19th-century field divisions.
A number of structures, now derelict, are illustrated to the south-west on the OS mapping. These structures appear to represent a small domestic house and outbuildings associated with the agricultural use of the land. No archaeological features or deposits were exposed or identified.
Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills Rd, Drogheda, Co. Louth
