Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Field system
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
- 53.50995, -6.47150
- SMR number
- ME044-044006-
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
Located on the SE-facing slope of a NW-SE spur. Traces of a field system were uncovered in soil stripping (03E1300) in advance of an extensive housing development (Wallace 2003). The fields are small rectangular areas (dims c. 30-40m x c. 30-40m) defined by single ditches, and cover an area (dims c. 150m NW-SE; c. 100m NE-SW) extending SE from the burial ground (ME044-044006-). One drain with an opening cuts the large ring-ditch (ME044-044005-). A gap in the field drain here was excavated, and the terminals were filled with angular fist-sized stones. A large quantity of animal bones, including two boar’s tusks, were recovered from this fill. It is possible that two field systems are represented as wider drains (Wth c. 2m) survive closer to the burial ground (ME044-044003-), some probably attaching to its fosse but at least one cuts N-S through the E part of the interior. These fields are larger (dims c. 70m x c. 30m). (Wallace 2003; 2006a)
Compiled by: Michael Moore
Date of upload: 14 September 2020
References
Wallace, A. 2006a 1452. Licence: 03E1300. Ratoath: Burnt spread, ring-ditch, possible field system and cemetery enclosure. In I. Bennett (ed.) Excavations 2003: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 386-7. Bray, Wordwell
Wallace, A. 2003 Report on Phase 1 of Archaeological Monitoring of Proposed Residential Development, Dunshaughlin Road, Ratoath, Co. Meath. Licence No. 03E1300. Unpublished report, Arch-Tech
Nearby in the register
- Burial groundunder 1 mi
- Ring-ditchunder 1 mi
- Ring-ditchunder 1 mi
- Ring-ditchunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.