Barrow - unclassified

The National Monuments Service's description

On inspection in 1985 it was described as a slightly domed circular area defined by fosse with external earthen bank (diam. 5m). (Moore 1987, 78). The monument was excavated in 2007 (License no. 07E0249) in advance of quarrying. The report summarises the results as follows: '‘The sod and topsoil was removed by hand and carefully examined to maximise finds retrieval. During the removal of the sod and topsoil a baulk or section was developed across the centre of the site, thin section clearly showed that at some point in time the surface expression of the earthworks associated with this barrow had been subject to disturbance and that only a small section of bank remained in the form of an earthen bank approximately 0.30m in height, located to the west of the barrow. The barrow itself takes the form of an oval shaped earth-cut ditch measuring on average between 1.00m and 0.90m wide and approximately 0.40m in depth with a diameter of 4.20m E – W and 3.10m N – S. The ditch was continuous with no breaks or openings. The ditch contained three fills or deposits a loose, light brown deposit with the general appearance of topsoil overlaying a lower charcoal-rich deposit (c4), overlaying a light grey silt. During the excavation of the ditch no traces of cremated bone were identified, however the general appearance of (c4) suggested that this deposit was formed by the placing of burnt material within the ditch on a number of occasions and not one single event. In total two fragments of flint blades were retrieved from (c4) and four pieces of flint debitage. During the excavation and assessment of the site no other archaeological features and deposits were recorded. However it must be noted that the area surrounding the barrow has been subject to high levels of ground disturbance associated with the development of the quarry.’ (Russell 2007)

Compiled by: Paul Walsh

Date of upload: 13 August 2015

References

Moore, M. 1987 Archaeological inventory of county Meath. Dublin. Stationery Office.

Russell, I. 2007 Abstract of the Excavation of Recorded Monument (ME027:035)Bellewstown Licence (07E0249). Unpublished report. National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.