2023:864 - Clonymeath, Summerhill, Meath

Archaeological monitoring was carried out in December 2023. Test trenches were arranged in order to target anomalies identified during thegeophysical survey (23R0156). Each trench measured 1.8m in width, and in total, 1,520m of linear trenches were excavated. In general, the topsoil was a dark brown silty clay that measured between c. 0.3–0.6m in depth. The natural, varied from an orangish-brown boulder clay to a greyish-brown clay that contained decayed stone, broken shale, pockets of sand and grit and lay above bands of grey stone.

Archaeological test trenching identified two areas of archaeological activity. Four ditches were identified in Field 14, in Trenches 2, 3 and 20. Ditches C11 and C12
were recorded in Trench 2, and Ditch C13 was recorded in Trench 3, they are in line with anomalies identified on the geophysical survey. From the geophysical survey, they appear to represent a field system or similar ditch-type features, extending southeast from the medieval church site ME043-017, which appears to be sited on an
earlier ecclesiastical site. Ditch C10 probably represents an infilled ditch running parallel with an existing field boundary.
In Field 16, three pits were identified: C4, C5 and C7. All three pits were recorded in Trench 17. Pits C4 and C7 appear to align with an anomaly identified on the geophysical survey that had been interpreted as a possible ring-ditch. Both pits terminate to the north, and it is likely that they are either two of a series of pits, shown in the geophysical survey or they could be part of a segmented slot ring-ditch. All bar one of the features, C10, will be directly impacted by the proposed development. A number of recommendations have been given. They include:
– a 15m buffer zone from the edge of recorded monument ME043-017.
– the use of concrete ballast foundations(or similar designs which do not impact sub-surface archaeology) in:
a) Field 14 in the area within 10m of the edge of the ring – ditches and in the area within 5m from the edge of the linear ditches
b) Field 16; in the area within 5m from the edge of the features exposed – Monitoring of all groundworks by a licenced archaeologist, with any further archaeological features identified to be preserved in situ or by record (excavation) in consultation with the National Monuments Service.