Stepping Stones — Killegland

Located in the valley of the meandering W-E Broad Meadow River, on a SW-NE portion of the stream and c. 40m NW of Killegland castle (ME045-005----). The castle would have been located here to overlook the crossing point of the river, which is depicted on the 1836 edition of the OS 6-inch map as a narrow causeway and described as ‘Stepping stones’. Archaeological testing (03E1902) by F. O’Carroll for a sewer pipe at the river crossing identified a layer of stone cobbling (Wth 6m plus; T 0.1m) beneath silt and modern backfill (excavations.ie 2003:1347). The cobbling was built around larger boulders embedded in the subsoil and there were fifteen contexts above the cobbling. The bases of two rough stone piers were found on the cobbling on the S side of the river, and these would constrict access to the ford. Evidence of the cobbling was also found on the N bank of the river but its full extent in every direction was not revealed, although a SW edge might be represented by a line of boulders. Finds were few but included a flint scraper, what is probably a musket ball, a clay pipe stem and modern material, but it is thought that the cobbling is medieval and related to the use of the castle. (O’Carroll 2004) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 13 December 2021 O’Carroll, F. 2004 Archaeological assessment in advance of the development of the proposed Ashbourne Sewerage Scheme, Ashbourne, Co. Meath. Licence No. 03E1902. Unpublished report, CRDS