Ring-ditch

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on a fairly level landscape. Archaeological testing (04E0925) by D. Nelis (2005) at Testing Area 1 of Contract 4 of the M3 motorway identified archaeological material (excavations.ie 2004:1245) that was completely excavated (E003119) by C. Duffy (2010) as Ardbraccan 5 in May/June 2006 (excavations.ie 2007:1324) when 2621 square metres were opened and three ring-ditches were identified. This subrectangular feature (int. dims c. 3.05m NE-SW; c. 2.4m NW-SE) is defined by a continuous slot-trench (Wth c. 0.25m; D c. 0.2m) cut into the subsoil. It was filled with a compact mid-brown silty clay with few stones but no artefacts or ecological material was recovered. Immediately SE of the structure a small pit (dims 1m NE-SW; 0.8m NW-SE; D 0.15m) had an extension to the S at its E end, but both were filled with a silty clay that had small stones and were equally barren. (Duffy 2010, 6)

See the attached plan from Duffy (2010, fig. 8)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload; 25 March 2022

References

Duffy, C. 2010 M3 Clonee – North of Kells, Contract 4, Navan to Kells and Kells Bypass. Final Report on Ardbraccan 5, Co. Meath. Licence: E003119. Unpublished report, Irish Archaeological Consultancy

Nelis, D. 2005 M3 Clonee-North of Kells; Contract 4, Navan - Kells and Kells Bypass. Report on Archaeological Assessment at Testing Area 1 in Ardbraccan, County Meath. Licence: 04E0924. Unpublished report, Irish Archaeological Consultancy