Enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

In Area B Enclosure 12 was a large multi-phase annexe attached to the SE of the rath, Enclosure 1, during Phase 1 in the first late sixth century. It is a circular area (int. diam. c. 35m) defined by fosses extending E and SE (L 46m; Wth 0.3m; D 0.15m) and S (L 10m plus; Wth 1.35m; D 0.6m) from the fosse of Enclosure 1, but the S side of this enclosure was destroyed by modern drainage works. Both ditches were re-cut once and all the layers contained large quantities of animal bone. Artefacts included iron knives, and the enclosure could have continued to be contemporary with Enclosures 13 and 14 extending into Phase 2, although no internal structures are associated with it. A sample of bone returned a C14 date of 343-542 cal. AD (BETA 231959) and is considered to be too early for this enclosure, but the sample may have been displaced from the fosse of Enclosure 1. One of the fosses cuts a substantial curving ditch (L 35m plus; Wth 2m; D 1.3-2m) which is c. 25m distant from Enclosure 1 and extends off to the E and S and which is undated. This ditch was re-cut once but all its layers are sterile, apart from some degraded bone. (O’Hara 2009, 19-20; 2009a)

True location: ITM (695621, 753793)

See the attached images from O'Hara (2022, figs 7, 44, 45, pl. 2)
_2 Site plan;
_3 Phase 1;
_4 Phase 2;
_7 Aerial view;

Compiled by Michael Moore

Date of upload: 26 April, 2022

O’Hara, R. 2009 M3 Clonee - North of Kells, Contract 2 Dunshaughlin - Navan. Final Report on the Archaeological Excavation of Roestown 2, Co. Meath. Licence: E003055. Unpublished report, Archaeological Consultancy Services

O’Hara, R. 2009a Early Medieval Settlement at Roestown 2. In Deevy, M. and Donald Murphy 2009 Places Along the Way, 57-82. NRA Scheme Monographs: 5.