County: Meath Site name: Kells
Sites and Monuments Record No.: ME017-044---- Licence number: E004426 (Ext.)
Author: Declan Moore
Site type: Urban
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 670970m, N 764336m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.624024, -6.927171
A programme of archaeological monitoring was carried out in Kells, Co. Meath in February and March 2019 as part of the Meath Watermains Upgrade. The project involved overseeing roadside trench and pit digging by a mechanical excavator. The works area consists of several locations in the centre of the historic town of Kells, and included stretches of open-cut trenching along Castle Street and smaller trenches and receptor pits excavated for locating existing services, pipe bursting and domestic connections at Fair Green, Church Lane, Cross Carrick Street, Market Street and Kenlis Place.
The monitoring found that most of the excavated ground consists of either natural, archaeologically sterile soil and shale outcrops or ground that has been disturbed by modern activity and contains redeposited fills. A thin horizon of dark brown to black soil containing organic material was identified in a section along Castle Street possibly representing a disturbed late-medieval pit. In addition, three stone-lined culverts of post-medieval date were located, two along Castle Street and one at the foot of Kenlis Place.
Nothing further of archaeological significance was noted.
3 Gort na Rí, Athenry, Co. Galway
