House - 17th century

The National Monuments Service's description

The excavated Structure 4 is a subcircular vernacular house (int. dims 3.6m x 3m) of probable seventeenth century date defined by mud walls that had a stone base. The foundation (D c. 0.5m) was cut into the inner W annexe of the rath and was c. 14m W of the entrance to the burial ground (ME025-096009-) but was approached by its own sunken path (L 20m plus) from the W. The floor was half metalled and a cow’s skull was buried under an unmetalled part close to the likely entrance at NW while a second cow’s skull was built into the wall at S. Together with the burial ground it may have been obliterated c. 1838 when Sion House with its attendant landscaping was built by John Charles and Eliza Metge (See this web-page accessed on 20/07/2022: http://www.navanhistory.ie/index.php?page=sion-house ) when no awareness of the rath or the burial ground was demonstrated. (McGlade 2017, vol. 1, 61-4,108-112)

See the attached plans from McGlade (2017, vol. 1, P 57, 60) _01 site plan; _02 floor plan

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 19 April, 2023

McGlade, S. 2017 Preliminary Excavation Report, Site D, Alexander Reid, Navan. Licence: 16E0449. Unpublished report, 2 vols Archaeology Plan