Charcoal-making site

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on a slight S-facing slope. Archaeological centre-line testing (04E0483) by T. O’Neill of Testing Area 21, Contract 1, prior to the construction of the M3 motorway and associated works (excavations.ie: 2004:1228) identified archaeological material, which was subsequently excavated (E003051) by A. O’Connell as Merrywell 1 in Knockmark parish between August and October 2005 (excavations.ie 2005:AD13). A medieval field system (ME044-068002-) defined by boundary ditches and gullies is associated with a well (ME044-068001-), but this prehistoric charcoal-making pit is also within the excavated area.
A large pit (dims 3.62m x 2m; D 0.4m) with a bright orange oxidised base and a fill of black carbonised silty clay with frequent charcoal inclusions is probably a charcoal production pit. A sample from the upper of two fills produced a C14 date of 907-796 cal. BC, and it pre-dates all the other excavated features that are high medieval in date. An ENE-WSW field ditch in three sections is c. 7m to the S, but this feature was cut by the principal NW-SE field boundary of the field system. (O’Connell and Ginn 2009, 2)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 10 December 2021

O’Connell, A. & V. Ginn 2009 M3 Clonee - North of Kells, Contract 1 Clonee – Dunshaughlin. Final Report on the Archaeological Excavation of Merrywell 1, Co. Meath. Licence: E003051. Unpublished report, Archaeological Consultancy Services

O’Neill, T. 2004 M3 Clonee – North of Kells, Contract 1, Report on Archaeological Assessment at Testing Area 21, Merrywell, County Meath. Licence: 04E0483. Unpublished report, Archaeological Consultancy Services