Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Excavation - miscellaneous
Ratoath, County Meath, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Ratoath
- County
- Meath
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Coordinates
- 53.50701, -6.46229
- SMR number
- ME044-034016-
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1799 "Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Archaeological testing (02E1101) by R. Meenan just W of the motte and bailey (ME044-044001-) recorded the outer edge of a ditch (Wth of top 6m plus; D 1m plus) that seems to be concentric with the visible fosse of the motte (excavations.ie 2002:1520; 2004:1330). It appeared beneath garden soil (D c. 0.8-1m) and had a top fill of a dark grey silty clay with organic material that produced two sherds of medieval pottery. It is probably an outer defensive fosse associated with the motte. A second ditch (Wth of top 2.5m; D 0.5m) with a similar fill also produced medieval pottery and entered the first ditch from the W. A combination of re-siting the development and piling ensures that the ditches are preserved. (Meenan 2002)
More testing (19E0463) by S. Hickey further N within the same property uncovered a short length (L 3.3m) of the ditch before it was cut by a modern drain, but the ditch continued into the neighbouring property to the NW (excavations.ie 2019:129).
Compiled by: Michael Moore
Date of upload: 9 December 2021
References
Meenan, R. 2002 Archaeological Assessment at Main Street, Ratoath. Licence: 02E11001. Unpublished report, Author
Nearby in the register
- Castle - motte and baileyunder 1 mi
- Fontunder 1 mi
- Architectural fragmentunder 1 mi
- Historic townunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.