Structure

The National Monuments Service's description

While the large enclosure, rath and burial ground are preserved under introduced soil in a green area all the available external area was excavated (15E0125) under the direction of S. McGlade in 2018-19 (excavations.ie 2019:474). Structure 21 was a circular feature (diam. 6.8m) in the NW part of the S rectilinear annexe. It was defined by sections of arcing slot-trench at N (L 2.5m plus; Wth 0.2m; D 0.14m) and NE-S-W (Wth 0.7m; D 0.2m). Although there are no postholes in the slot-trench there is an entrance gap (Wth 1.4m) at NE. Instead of a slot-trench there were three or four postholes at the perimeter W-NW, and more may have been cut by a late iteration of the W ditch of the S rectilinear annexe. A N-S post-medieval ditch cuts both sections of the slot-trench towards the W edge. The structure has a shallow, nearly central, pit (dims 1.1m x 0.65m; D 0.16m) which may have been intended as a hearth, and the slot-trench cuts the inner ditch of the SW annexe. Because of its proximity to the unused Kiln 24 that was c. 3m to the NE it is suggested by the excavator that this structure might have been a barn, but if the central feature is a hearth this interpretation is unlikely. (McGlade 2020, vol. 1, 278-283, 323-4)

True location: ITM (695953, 752840)

See the attached plans from McGlade (2020, P 275, 279)
_1 Location;
_2 Location;
_3 Plan;

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 4 May 2022

References

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 Unpublished report, 2 vols archaeology plan