What is recorded here

Roestown 2 held at least four distinct hut sites within its early enclosures, including Structure A, B, C and D. Some had post-holes and others did not, while Structure D contained a crucible fragment and nearby bone trial-pieces that hint at metal work rather than ordinary domestic life. The gullies, nails and pinned fragments suggest people lived, built and possibly crafted inside the rath during the sixth and early seventh centuries.

In Area B three structures within Enclosure 1 are probably associated with its establishment and early use during Phase 1 in the mid sixth century. Structure A is on the inner side of the fosse at N and consists of a curving drip-gully (Wth 0.25; D 0.2m) around a subcircular area (int. dims c. 7m E-W; c. 6m N-S). Much of the interior, especially at E, was destroyed by later features. Within the base of the gully were six post-holes that are possibly related to it but other post-holes were outside it to the N and two were in the fill of the gully. Structure B is inside the fosse at S and is a semi-circular drip-gully (Wth 0.36m; D 0.21m) enclosing a small area (diam. 4m) but it had no associated features such as post-holes. Some paved areas and other gullies are in the vicinity and these could represent pens abutting an absent bank. Sherds of E-ware were recovered in this area, and the circular drip-gully was cut by a secondary sub-division of the interior of Enclosure 1. Structure C was E of B and consists of drip-gullies enclosing a rectangular area (dims 7m NW-SE; 6.5m NE-SW). No post-holes or hearths are associated with this structure and much of the interior was removed by later features. An iron nail and a copper-alloy pin fragment were recovered from the gullies. Structure E is a collection of eight post-holes immediately to the NW of structure A and forms an L-shaped line that could have been a lean-to against the bank of Enclosure 1. (O’Hara 2009, 29-31; 2009a) Structure D is a circular area (int. diam. c. 4m) within the ambit of Enclosure 10, an early, although secondary, annexe of Phase 1 on the E side of the rath, Enclosure 1 and might be dated to the early seventh century. The structure is defined by two drip-gullies that are truncated by later features. A crucible fragment was found in one of the gullies, and bone trial-pieces were found in contemporary levels within the fosse of Enclosure 1 c. 10m W of this feature. This suggests that it may have been devoted to metal-working, but there are no post-holes or hearths associated with the structure and metal waste was not recovered in the vicinity. (O’Hara 2009, 31) See the attached images from O'Hara (2009, figs 7, 44) _2 Site plan; _3 Phase 1; Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 26 April, 2022 O’Hara, R. 2009 M3 Clonee - North of Kells, Contract 2 Dunshaughlin - Navan. Final Report on the Archaeological Excavation of Roestown 2, Co. Meath. Licence: E003055. Unpublished report, Archaeological Consultancy Services O’Hara, R. 2009a Early Medieval Settlement at Roestown 2. In Deevy, M. and Donald Murphy 2009 Places Along the Way, 57-82. NRA Scheme Monographs: 5.

This remains an important historical record, but the official description says the monument is no longer visible or has been destroyed. The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.