Burnt mound

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on the N bank of the W-E Broad Meadow River at a point where the stream runs briefly SW-NE. It is adjacent to the ford (ME045—005002-), but at an earlier period the stream was wider and extended further N. Archaeological testing (05E0423) by W. O. Frazer (excavations.ie 2005:1142) in advance of the building of a new road bridge and roundabout identified burnt mound material which was later completely excavated by J. Kavanagh (excavations.ie 2006:1495) under the same licence. The burnt mound deposit (dims 5.1m N-S; 2.55m E-W; T 0.05-0.42m) was on layers of sand, gravel, silt and clay from the bed of the river. Three smaller deposits (diam. c. 0.45-0.6m) were detached from it, and the burnt stone material was covered by two compacted layers of mottled clayey silt. A pit (dims 1.72m E-W; 0.55m N-S) filled with similar burnt mound material was just o the N but it had a large stone protruding from it. No trough was identified, and no artefacts were recovered. (Frazer 2005; Kavanagh 2006)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 21 December 2021

References

Kavanagh, J. 2006 Archaeological Excavation Report at Killegland, Ashbourne, County Meath. Licence: 05E0423. Unpublished report, Icon Archaeology

Frazer, W. O. 2005 Archaeological assessment. Castle Street upgrade, Killegland townland, Ashbourne, Co. Meath. Licence No. 05E0423. Unpublished report, Margaret Gowen & Co.