County: Meath Site name: Cruicerath and Carranstown
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: Unlicensed monitoring
Author: Caroline Cosgrove
Site type: Enclosures
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 705000m, N 770929m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.677535, -6.410707
Unlicensed archaeological monitoring was carried out at Cruicerath and Carrranstown, Co. Meath. The site consisted of two north-to-south aligned fields. The topsoil stripping took place between 1 and 23 November 2021 with two bulldozers. Archaeology was identified and it was recommended to clean the site with a graded bucket.
The cleaning of the site with a 14-tonne tracked machine with a graded bucket took place between 20 December 2021 and 18 February 2022.
The topsoil was a greyish-brown clayey silt. The natural varied from orange clay to a mottled grey to bright pink clay in the northern field. In the southern field the natural varied from greyish-brown sand to orange clay.
The total number of possible archaeological features amounted to 322. 125 features were identified in the north field, including a circular enclosure with a diameter of c. 36m defined by a ditch measuring 1.2m to 3m in width. A possible annex, in the form of a large curvilinear feature, was identified to the northeast of the enclosure. 197 features were identified in the south field, including a sub-circular enclosure with a diameter of c. 32m defined by a segmented ditch, measuring 1.5m to 2m in width. The other features identified on site ranged from a fulacht fia to 197 pits, 17 possible kilns, 69 post-/stake-holes, 17 ditches/linear feature, 11 spread deposits, 5 curvilinear features, and a truncated hearth. It is highly likely that even more archaeological features will be identified when the site is cleaned by hand. It should be noted that the soil composition in the north field made identification of archaeological features difficult and some features were only apparent after a period of exposure. One pit in the southern field had a moderate amount of in-situ pottery that appeared to be prehistoric. In the absence of a licence to excavate, it was left in situ and covered with terram and sand.
The features identified should be preserved by record (full excavation) under licence to the National Monuments Service in advance of quarrying works commencing.
Unit 21, Boyne business park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth
