Enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on slight S-facing slope c. 50m from the N bank of a W-E canalised section of the Broad Meadow River, and immediately on the N side of the mill-race (ME045-041----) at the E extremity of its recorded extent. Archaeological excavation (04E1252) by W. Frazer recorded a rectangular enclosure (dims c. 20m N-S; c. 20m E-W) defined by the mill-race at S and by open ditches at W (Wth c. 1.6-2m; D c. 1m) and N (excavation.ie 2004:1167). It was an open yard with a roughly metaled surface that was established at the same time as the mill-race, but it is cut by the defining drains at N and W. It was utilised in two successive phases. Little remained of two or three buildings from the first phase but more substantial remains of the second phase of Structure 3 (dims 11m N-S; 5.5m E-W) survived. This was a house with a drystone base to the walls and clay upper walls, and it probably had a thatched roof. The enclosure was occupied in the twelfth to fourteenth centuries, and after its abandonment it was robbed of stone and was cut by lazy bed cultivation ridges in the seventeenth century when Killegland settlement (ME045-071----) further to the W was occupied. Over 30 artefacts and c. 600 sherds of pottery were recovered, including an almost complete Leinster cooking ware jar. (Frazer 2005)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 22 December 2021

References

Frazer, W. O 2005 Interim Report: Archaeological Excavation, Naus Phase 4, Ashbourne Town Centre Development, Killegland townland, Ashbourne, Co. Meath. Licence No. 04E1252. Unpublished report, Margaret Gowen & Co.