Enclosure in Footstown Great

Located at the bottom of a SE-facing slope in the valley floor of a now canalised E-W stream which is c. 100m to the S, but an old NE-SW stream-bed skirts the exterior of the monument W-N. This is not depicted on any map but is clearly visible on many aerial images from the 1970s onwards. It consists of three small grass-covered enclosures in a NE-SW row. That at NE is a D-shaped grass-covered area (dims 29m NW-SE; c. 22m NE-SW) with the straight side at NE where a relict NNW-SSE field drain truncates this side of the enclosure. It is defined by a fosse (at SW: Wth of top 7m; Wth of base 3m; int. D 0.45m; ext. D 0.2m). An original entrance is not identified and outside it to the SW is a raised subrectangular platform (dims c. 18m NW-SE; x 13m NE-SW) separated by fosse or drain (Wth of top 2m; D 0.1-0.2m) a third grass-covered subrectangular enclosure (dims 15m x 14m) defined by a slight relict drain (Wth 4m; D 0.2m) or old stream bed that meanders around the NW sides of the enclosures. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 10 July 2007 Amended: 2 August 2022 Amended: 15 December 2022