Burnt mound

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on the N bank of a NW-SE section of the Cavan River Blackwater. Archaeological testing (98E0463) by N. Brady on the S bank of the river uncovered fragments of post-medieval buildings dated by a collection of potsherds, three copper coins and fragment of an inscribed finger-ring dating to the early to mid-seventeenth century for the structures (excavations.ie 1998:498). A deposit beneath the structures yielded a patch of burning with ceramics of a fifteenth century character including a line-impressed floor tile, probably from the adjacent site of St Mary’s abbey (ME025-024----). The post-medieval structures pre-dated the establishment of a cavalry barracks c. 1700.
On the N bank of the river and just W of a mill known as Elliot’s Mill a burnt mound was identified in an archaeological section. It consisted of a band (L 4.75m; max. H 0.9m) of broken and burnt stones with grey sand and charcoal interwoven with three lenses of white ash. The layers were set in a natural grey mud with boulders and lay immediately below topsoil with modern debris. It is preserved in situ. (Brady 1999, 44-7)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 29 March 2023

Brady, N. 1999 Archaeological Excavation at Abbeyland South, Archaeological recording at Blackcaslte Demesne, Navan Inner Relief Road. Phase 2A. Licence: 98E0463. Unpublished report, Valerie J. Keeley Archaeological Consultancy.