County: Meath Site name: Johnstown, Enfield
Sites and Monuments Record No.: vicinity of ME048-039 Licence number: 19E0576
Author: Liam Coen c/o Archer Heritage Planning
Site type: Testing, no archaeology found
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 678680m, N 741249m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.415492, -6.816443
The site comprises a large open field currently laid out as grazing for cattle. The land rises gently from the south to a high point in the centre of the field before falling away northwards towards a deep drainage channel which forms the northern boundary of the site. There is a noticeable kink in this drainage ditch which is covered by a knoll of thorn and shrubs. It is unclear if this is an outer enclosure associated with ME048-039 or a realignment of the field boundary/drainage trench at the northern site boundary as depicted on the 1st edition OS map. Geophysical survey was undertaken at the site in August 2019 by J Nicholls under licence 19R0177. No responses of definite archaeological character were recorded from survey within the investigation area.
A total of nine test-trenches were excavated across the site. A 16-ton tracked excavator with a 2m grading bucket was used to excavate the trenches. Excavation proceeded in level spits of 0.2m. Topsoil was uniform across the site, 0.4-0.5m in depth with a compact orange/brown stony clay subsoil. Trenches were located to investigate the archaeological potential of the general area, geophysical anomalies and anomalies recorded on aerial photography. No archaeological features or material was identified in the course of testing.
Archer Heritage Planning, 8 Beat Centre, Stephenstown, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin.
