Field system

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on a slight S-facing slope and at the N edge of a marshy area. Archaeological testing (04E0584) by N. Fairburn (2004) at Testing Area 11 of Contract 3 of the M3 motorway identified archaeological material (excavations.ie 2004:1158) that was excavated (E003116) by M. Mossop (Mossop et al. 2009) as Ardbraccan 2 (excavations.ie 2006:1487) during May to July 2006 when a fulacht fia, a rath with internal hut-sites, and an external hearth and cereal drying kiln were recorded. Elements of four field systems were also present.

Evidence of four field systems were present in the excavated area. The earliest is probably that defined by narrow ditches (Wth 0.74-1.16m; max. D 0.19m) arranged N-S and E-W (yellow on phase plan) that created a rectangular field (dims c. 65m plus E-W; c. 65m N-S). This was replaced by a system (green) that was not directly related to the original layout. A rectangular field (int. dims c. 45m plus N-S; c. 38m E-W) was defined by wide ditches (Wth c. 2.2m; D 0.6m) on three sides that cut the slighter ditches of the earlier system, although it might connect with an E-W ditch from the older system at S where an L-shaped ditch creates a small rectangular enclosure (dims 10m N-S; 9m E-W) with ditches from both systems. The wider ditches are cut by the rath ditch, and a sample of charred ash from one provided a C14 date of 635-774 cal. AD (Beta 247126). (Mossop et al. 2009, 4)

Two field systems post-dated the rath. The earlier (mauve) consists of ghost field banks (Wth c. 2m), each with a field drain (max. Wth 1.3m; max. D 0.4m) on either side crossing the excavated area E-W, although the N pair of ditches might be a single ditch (Wth 1.5m; D 0.33m) that bifurcates at its W end. The N pair cut the rath ditch and are cut by the more regular ditches of a post-medieval system. The paired ditches are c. 7-15m apart and may represent an E-W road although no surface was identified, or a narrow plot. The post-medieval system (grey) consists of a drain (Wth 1.8m; D 0.96m) that crosses the excavated area E-W (L c. 68m) and which may be related to the field bank recorded on the 1836 edition of the OS 6-inch map. From this another drain (Wth 1.85m; D 0.98m) extends N (L 48m) almost parallel with the N-S field bank and drain on the 1882 and 1908 editions of the map, although it is not the mapped feature. Some light N-S furrows placed c. 2m apart relate to either of these systems. (Mossop et al. 2009, 7-8)

See the attached interpretive plan from Mossop et al. (2009, fig. 18)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 25 March 2022

References

Mossop, M., Ginn, V. and E. Ruddle 2008 M3 Clonee – North of Kells, Contract 3, Navan to Kells and Kells Bypass. Final Report on Ardbraccan 3, Co. Meath. Licence: E003117. Unpublished report, Archaeological Consultancy Services

Fairburn, N. 2004 M3 Clonee-North of Kells; Contract 3, Navan Bypass. Report on Archaeological Assessment at Testing Area 11 in Ardbraccan, County Meath. Licence: 04E0584. Unpublished report, Archaeological Consultancy Services