What is recorded here

Not inidcated is a field boundary on the west-facing slope of Ratoath in County Meath. The edge may have stood outside the main town, yet it still belongs to the same medieval landscape where narrow plots and drainage ditches shaped daily life. Under modern gardens and new buildings, that old boundary continues to hold the shape of Ratoath, marking where cultivated ground met the wider field.

Situated on the W-facing slope of Ratoath but possibly outside the extent of the historic town. Archaeological testing (18E0005) and excavation of an open area (dims 22.5m x 10.5m) in advance of house-building identified a series of drainage ditches running NE-SW and generally parallel with likely burgage plots in the town. An oval pit (dims 1.1m x 0.8m; D 0.22m) with the remains of a calf and an occupation spread were recorded in an area (dims c. 40m NNE-SSW; c. 27m WNW-ESE) that had been a garden. All features contained medieval pottery and animal bones, and a large part of it will be preserved under a garden (excavations.ie 2018:003; 2018:315). (McLoughlin 2018, 2019) Date of upload; 12 April, 2018 Amended: 15 April 2021

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.