Mound in Castlejordan

Situated on a broad rise with a NNE-SSW section of the Castlejordan River c. 250m to the E. It is located c. 1km N of where the Castlejordan River meets the W-E Yellow River, which is a tributary of the River Boyne and forms the boundary with County Offaly. A NW-SE section of the Yellow River is c. 550m to the SW. This is a circular flat-topped mound (diam. of top 8m N-S; diam. of base 30m N-S; c. 32m E-W; H 5m at N to 5.2m at S) with some scrub. There are some large blocks of fallen masonry on the surface, which may have come from the castle (ME052-002001-) c. 50m to the ENE as there is no evidence of foundations at the mound. The linear earthwork (ME052-002002-) is just to the W, and the mound is 23.5m S of an E-W trench (at W: Wth of top 18m; Wth of base 7m; D 2.5-2.8m) which decreases in magnitude and merges into the surface as it extends E (L c. 80m). The feature was interpreted as a motte and bailey (Moore 1987, 157) because of the configuration of earthworks, but the mound could be a barrow, a motte or a spoil mound from the quarrying of the trench. 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 revision: 15 August 2016

A Neolithic passage tomb; wider significance not recorded.