Fulacht fia in Townparks (navan Lower By.)

Archaeological centre-line testing (04E583) by A. O’Connell (2005) at Testing Area 10 of Contract 3 in advance of the M3 motorway identified a burnt spread (excavations.ie 2004:1346) that was fully resolved (E003134) by K. Martin (2009) as a part of Townparks 2 in February 2006 (excavations.ie 2006:1645) when two fulachta fia were recorded. This was a spread of dark brown-grey, silty clay with frequent broken stone and charcoal content (dims 8m N-S; 6.5m E-W; T 0.06-0.11m) that overlay six pits or shallow depressions in the subsoil that were concentrated under the burnt mound. The pits (dims 1m x 1.1m; D0.28m to dims 2.18m x 1.18m; D 0.38m) could have heat-scorched bases but all had some broken and burnt stone in their fills, although none is recognised as a trough. Two C14 dates of 2402-2045 cal. BC (Beta 237332) and 2456-2059 cal. BC (Beta 237331) were returned from samples of hazel charcoal in their fills. There were two clusters of seven and eight stake-holes between the pits, and only two of the smaller pits impinged on others so they are all probably closely contemporary. Three gullies (Wth 0.54m; D 0.24m) extended end to end NW-SE (total L 10.7m) across the area beneath the burnt mound. One gully cut the edge of one of the pits, and they may have provided water for the pits. A sample of fruitstone charcoal from one of the gullies yielded a date of 2343-2041 cal. BC (Beta 237333). (Martin 2009, 3-5) See the attached plan from Martin 2009 (fig. 9) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 13 April 2023 Martin, K. 2009 M3 Clonee-North of Kells. Contract 3 – Navan Bypass. Report on the Archaeological Excavation of Townparks 2, Co. Meath. Licence: E003114. Final Unpublished report, Archaeological Consultancy Services O’Connell, A. 2005 M3 Clonee-North of Kells. Contract 3 – Navan Bypass. Report on Archaeological Assessment at Testing Area 10, Townparks, Robinrath and Knockumber, County Meath. Licence: 04E0583. Unpublished report, Archaeological Consultancy Services