County: Meath Site name: Donore, Staleen and Cruicerath townlands
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 23E0301
Author: Martin Fitzpatrick
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 704483m, N 772057m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.687771, -6.418149
Archaeological monitoring of geotechnical site investigations along a proposed pipeline route to connect the existing Staleen Water Treatment Plant at Staleen, County Meath to a trunkmain and reservoir in Donore, County Meath were undertaken in the summer of 2023. In September 2024 archaeological testing along the route and targeted testing of anomalies identified in the geophysical survey were undertaken over a period of 10 days. The proposed pipeline route is located in the townlands of Stalleen, Donore and Cruicerath in the Civil Parish of Donore, in the Barony of Duleek Lower, in County Meath.
A total of 37 slit trenches and 12 test pits were excavated along the route. The slit trenches along the roads were generally excavated for the width of the roads and roadside verge, and were c. 0.5m in width and 2m deep. The test pits were generally located in agricultural land but also in the existing treatment plant and in general measured 3m in length, c. 0.7m in width and up to 4m in depth. The general stratigraphy indicated extensive disturbance associated with excavations for existing services. The test pits recorded in agricultural land indicated natural layers below topsoil with no evidence for archaeological material in any of the trenches excavated.
Archaeological testing along the route of the proposed pipeline was undertaken over a period of two weeks from 16 September 2024. This involved general testing along the proposed development route and targeted testing of specific areas where anomalies identified in the geophysical survey suggested potential archaeological features. A total of twenty five trenches were excavated in nine separate fields along the route. The majority of the fields had been harvested while some were in pasture. Topsoil from each trench was initially excavated by a mechanical excavator then manually cleaned back by archaeologists. The trench and spoil was subjected to a metal detection survey (Detection Device Reg. 24R0489).
The testing found that the anomalies, where located, indicate cultivation ridges, ploughmarks, drainage features and underlying changes in the geology. No features of archaeological significance were identified in the course of testing.
Old Church Street, Athenry, County Galway
