2026:084 - Jamestown, Rathoath, Meath
County: Meath
Site name: Jamestown, Rathoath
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A
Licence number: 25E1050
Author: Deirdre Murphy, Archaeological Consultancy Services Unit Ltd
Author/Organisation Address: Unit 21 Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth. A92 DH99.
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 702913m, N 751165m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.500405, -6.448800
A test excavation was carried out over several days in March/April 2026 on a greenfield site at Jamestown, Ratoath. In total, 24 trenches were excavated across the site with a total length of 1417m. Historic mapping and modern aerial imagery depict the site as agricultural land.
The natural ground was found to be a compact, mottled mid- to dark greyish-brown and mid yellowish-brown boulder clay with frequent small subangular stones. In some areas, there were patches of stonier ground in the natural. The topsoil above this was about 0.4m deep on average.
The area at the very southern tip of the site was the former compound area for the housing development to the west of the site. Evidence of this was seen in Trenches 25, 26, and 27, with construction debris found in the topsoil. Signs of the construction of the Ratoath Outer Relief Road could be seen in Trenches 1 and 27, as there was a lot of gravel and stony ground along the base of these trenches. A modern north to south running service was found in Trench 2.
No archaeological features or artefacts were found during the test excavation on the site.