Burial ground

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated towards the top of a gentle S-facings slope. A magnetic gradiometer survey (09R0089) by D. Harrison identified numerous archaeological features in a field on the N side of the R125 leading W from Dunshaughlin and c. 1km from the centre of the village and the site of St Seachnall’s monastery (ME044-033002-). They include a large circular enclosure defined by two fosses separated by a berm, which are interpreted here as a rath inside a large enclosure. In addition there were at least two external enclosures and one internal enclosure as well as a possible ring-ditch located c. 90m outside the rath to the NE. Targeted archaeological testing (09E0214) by J. Hession and C. Moriarty (2009) confirmed the presence of the large enclosure and rath, whose internal enclosure proves to be a burial ground. These features are now preserved in situ beneath introduced soil that has been landscaped into a wide outer bank and a raised platform over the burial ground within Dún Ríoga housing estate.

From the gradiometer survey the central feature consists of a large rath (diam. c. 68m), the entrance to which is not recognized in the gradiometer survey although it may be at S where there might be a break in the fosse. The large enclosure (dims c. 96m E-W; c. 84m N-S) also appears to have no visible entrance but the perimeter at S might combine with that of the rath. The small D-shaped enclosure (dims c. 38m E-W; c. 34m N-S) within the rath is defined by a ditch that appears to be attached to the fosse of the rath at NNE and that of the large enclosure at E. This proved to contain multiple burials testifying to its use as a burial ground.

Four trenches sampled the small innermost enclosure and encountered burials even in the topsoil. The supine inhumations were oriented W-E with the heads at W but were concentrated at the W edge of the inner enclosure. The top of its defining ditch (Wth 2.6m) was exposed but not excavated here. A section across the perimeter at S encountered an inner gully (Wth 0.3m; D 0.25m) and the external enclosure ditch (Wth 3.5m; D 0.8m plus). A ditch (Wth 1.3m plus) leading away from the outer ditch to the S has two feeder gullies (Wth 1.3m; D 0.5m; Wth 0.5m; D 0.3m) approaching from the E. The burial ground seems to have been defined by a wide outer ditch and narrow inner gully, probably with an earthen bank between them, but an entrance is not identified either in the gradiometer survey or through excavation. The burial ground, together with the rath and the large enclosures, are preserved in a green area beneath introduced soil that has now been landscaped into a wide outer bank and a platform over the burial ground within Dún Rioga housing estate. (Hession and Moriarty 2010, 15-16)

See the results of the gradiometer survey from Hession and Moriarty (2009, fig. 8)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 3 May 2022

References

Hession, J. and Moriarty, C. 2009 Archaeological Assessment and Impact Statement. Roestown, Readsland and Knocks Townlands, Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath. Licence: 09E0214. Unpublished report, Margaret Gowen & Co.

McGlade, S. 2020 Preliminary Excavation Report. Readsland, Dunshaughlin. Licences: 15E0125; 18R0174. Unpublished report, 2 vols archaeology plan