Field system in Roestown (ratoath By.)

While the large enclosure, rath and burial ground are preserved under introduced soil in a green area all the available external area was excavated (15E0125) under the direction of S. McGlade in 2018-19 (excavations.ie 2019:474). Elements of a later field system were identified that truncated the two S annexes of the rath/large enclosure. Two parallel N-S ditches placed c. 27-33m apart extend outside the excavation to the N and S but the geophysical survey suggests that at N they probably extended as far as the fosse of the rath where its fosse is combined with that of the large enclosure, and a likely E-W ditch relating to it was identified beneath the public road to the S. They created a single rectangular enclosure or field (dims c. 60m plus N-S; c. 25-30m E-W) that is of similar dimensions to and on the same alignment as the high medieval rectangular fields (ME044-052----) recorded in testing further S. The W ditch was rock-cut and broad, tending to be V to U-shaped (Wth c. 2.5-2.8m; D 0.6-0.75m). Outside the area of the S rectangular annexe it has a single fill of a brown silty clay with some stones and it cuts and follows the line of the W ditch of the S rectilinear annexe which may have been visible when it was cut. At the N end it bifurcates briefly, and at the junction with the ditches of the S rectilinear annexe a stone deposit bridged the top of the fills (Path 11). A green glass bead with painted yellow herringbone decoration from it is probably of Irish manufacture and of ninth century date. The E side was of similar dimensions and was partly rock-cut. It was re-cut once and produced high medieval pottery but it cuts the S ditch of the S rectilinear annexe. (McGlade 2020, vol. 1, 264-271, 339-40) See the attached plan (blue) from McGlade (2020, vol. 1, p 253) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 4 May 2022