2022:151 - NEWTOWN TRIM GRAVEYARD FOOTPATH MONITORING: ZONE 4 ADDENDUM to 2021 works, Meath

This report describes the results of archaeological monitoring of the Porch Field Footpath and Wild Flower areas upgrade project of 2021 general ITM 680858, 756597 that was EXTENDED in 2022 to cover a new footpath installation in Newtown Trim Graveyard ME036-049 (including ME036-049002 Cathedral National Monument 110 and ME036-049003 to ME036-049014 focusing on ITM 681363, 756908. Monitoring works were completed on 15-22 March 2022 on behalf of Meath County Council.
The works in 2021 targeted three interpretative zones. These were Zone 1: Newtown Trim (in proximity to the standing ruins), Zone 2: Porch Field agricultural area and Zone 3: Dredging dumps alongside the River Boyne. For the purposes of the present report, the 2022 works have been termed Zone 4: Newtown Trim Graveyard.
The 2022 Zone 4 works comprised the excavation of the top 40mm and encroaching soils and grass from the looped graveyard footpath. The footpath measures approximately 328m and the area excavated was around 372sq m. The works showed that the earlier or original graveyard footpath (shown on 1888-1913 25-inch Mapping and refurbished by OPW during 20th-century restoration works) was larger than the present excavations and so there was no disturbance to the graveyard in 2022.
Test-holes showed the original path is generally between 0.2-0.25m deep constructed of pea gravels and occasional limestone demolition fragments mixed with brown, silty soils. The original path had been fairly recently capped with a mortar-based/lean mix type surface beneath the loose gravel. This was perhaps done during OPW restoration works, but this surface had eroded away over much of the path on the southern side. The shallow nature of the 2022 excavations, as well as the compact and modern nature of the footpath, meant that no geotextile was required. No kerbing was laid and drainage will be by grading the footpath surface.
The footpath was metal detected before and after excavation works and 75 items were collected. In general, the encroaching grass contained 'graveyard' material such as very modern coins from 1963 to post-2000 (coins from Ireland, UK and Lithuania), an Irish Defence Forces 1920-1940 cap badge (‘Other Ranks’ with pin broken), modern steel nails and a screw (5 items found), electric and wire fencing (4 items found) and an ornate coffin lid screw. The original 'footpath' material contains items associated with 19th-century farm and/or agricultural use - particularly with horseshoe and other nails (32 items found) and items that are probably hoof-frog cleaners (two table knives and two spoons). Three horseshoes (one complete and two fragments) and some well-broken up ‘manuring type’ pottery was also recovered. A large ‘kitchen-style’ knife with a 0.15m long blade from the footpath make-up layer may be a redeposited agricultural loss but also might have been buried here. Whether the agricultural finds derive from activities undertaken in the graveyard or were in soils used to mix the gravel for the footpath, that was brought from nearby, is not known.
A walkover looking at the various worked stones in the graveyard was also completed. Several pieces of the Cathedral rib vault are being used as headstones.

c/o Meath County Council