Structure in Simonstown

Situated on a fairly level landscape. Archaeological monitoring (98E0352) of topsoil stripping over an area of about 38 hectares (c. 95 acres) by C. Ó Drisceoil identified six areas of potential archaeological importance consisting largely of pits filled with charcoal and burnt stones (excavations.ie 1998:526). In Area 2 the burnt foundation trenches of a rectangular structure (ext. dims 11.3m E-W; 5.8m N-S) defined by linear charcoal deposits and a beam-slot was identified, although no internal post-holes, hearth, or entrance were present. A leaf-shaped arrowhead was found in a post-hole c. 2.4m to the W. An E-W ditch (Wth 1.8m; max. D 0.5m; L 15m plus) was NE of the rectangular structure but no artefacts were recovered either from the ditch or from the structure itself (Ó Drisceoil 2001, 3-4). When the area was re-examined (12E0311) by P. D. Sweetman (2012, 10-11) the structure was interpreted as naturally occurring staining of the soil, and what might be burnt stone was found to be decayed sandstone (excavations.ie 2012:660). Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 30 March 2023 Ó Drisceoil, C. 1998 Archaeological Test-excavations at Simonstown, Co. Meath. Licence: 98E0352. Unpublished Interim Report, Archaeological Consultancy Services Sweetman, P. D. 2012 Report on Archaeological Assessment, Monitoring and Excavation at Simonstown, County Meath, August-September 2012. Licence: 12E0311. Unpublished report, Author