Structure in Cakestown Glebe

Located in a gently undulating landscape in the valley of the NW-SE River Blackwater, with a NW-SE section of the river c. 200m to the SW. Archaeological testing (04E0913) by J. Roynane (2005) at Testing Area 14 of Contract 4 of the M3 motorway (excavations.ie 2004:1345) identified archaeological material on the route of the N52 Kells link-road that was fully excavated (E003158) by P. Lynch (2010) in February - March 2007 as Cakestown Glebe 2 when 3325 square metres were opened. A ring-ditch, two hut-sites and a structure, together with evidence of Mesolithic habitation were recorded (excavations.ie 2007:1273). The upper levels of almost all features were cut by NE-SW post-medieval furrows. This is Structure 3 and consists of a rectangular structure (dims 4.6m NW-SE; 4.4m NE-SW) defined by a line of three postholes on the SW side and four on the NE sides with a single posthole providing the E corner. The posts at the N and S angles are strengthened by single stakeholes, and it was probably a flat-roofed structure open on all sides. Oak was identified in one of the stakeholes and in one of the postholes, and a sample of oak sapwood from the posthole provided a C14 date of 2280-2020 cal. BC (SUERC 29338). (Lynch 2011, 6-7) A large pit (dims 2.45m x 1.7m; D 0.57) just SE of hut-site 1 might be contemporary with Structure 3. It had a lining of stones over much of its base but much of its fill was a loose brown silty sand that had a cremated burial inserted in it. Probably the complete remains of an individual of indeterminate age and sex were present and a sample returned a C14 date of 2141-1981 cal. BC (UBA 12943), but no pottery or other artefacts were present. A posthole and some stakeholes in the vicinity of the pit may have been relevant to the burial, but it is not known how long the pit had been closed before the burial was inserted. (ibid. 2011, 7-8) See the attached site plan and monument plan from Lynch (2011, figs 5, 8) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 11 March 2022