What is recorded here

Merrywell 1 in Knockmark parish, County Meath, held a charcoal-making pit dated 907-796 cal. BC, older than the nearby medieval field system. The pit measured 3.62m x 2m and reached 0.4m deep, its base bright orange from heat and its fill black with carbonised clay and charcoal. Someone there transformed wood into charcoal before wheels, roads or written records touched that slope. The M3 works uncovered it in 2005, but the fire itself belongs to a much older Ireland.

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 Unpublished report, Archaeological Consultancy Services O’Neill, T. 2004 M3 Clonee – North of Kells, Contract 1, Report on Archaeological Assessment at Testing Area 21,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 Unpublished report, Archaeological Consultancy Services

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.