Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Linear earthwork
Woodtown Lower, Polecastle, Siddan, County Meath, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Woodtown Lower, Polecastle, Siddan
- County
- Meath
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- The Pale
- Coordinates
- 53.81646, -6.64629
- SMR number
- ME006-053----
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1636 "Vltoniae Orientalis Pars" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Extending NW-SE over a small drumlin. It is not known on what basis the designation is made, or how extensive the feature is. The townland boundary between Siddan to the SW and Woodtown Upper and Polecastle to the NE is described as ‘The Pale Ditch’ in gothic lettering only on the 1908 edition of the OS 6-inch map. At the NW end where it meets a WNW-ESE road a double ditch (Wth 2.7m; H 1.6m) extends SE (L c. 480m) over a low drumlin to where it meets the road again. From its SE point it might continue S (L c. 1km) over Gun Hill to the small E-W stream at Siddan. From its NW end it could continue to the River Dee at the Yellow Ford Bridge (L c. 800m). It appears to be no more than a strong townland boundary of no particular significance.
Archaeological testing (03E0900) by P. D. Sweetman on the site of a single house c. 50m to the E at the closest point identified no related material (excavations.ie 2003:1480).
The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Revised by: Michael Moore
Date of revision: 30 October 2018
Nearby in the register
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Fortificationunder 1 mi
- Ritual site - holy wellunder 1 mi
- Castle - unclassifiedunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.