What is recorded here

The Pale is a mysterious double ditch stretching half a kilometre across a low hill in County Meath, yet no one knows why it was built or when. It appears on an old map as The Pale Ditch, but archaeological testing nearby found nothing to explain its purpose. The ditch may mark a forgotten boundary or hide a lost story, waiting for someone brave enough to ask the earth again.

Extending NW-SE over a small drumlin. It is not known on what basis the designation is made, or how extensive the feature is. The townland boundary between Siddan to the SW and Woodtown Upper and Polecastle to the NE is described as ‘The Pale Ditch’ in gothic lettering only on the 1908 edition of the OS 6-inch map. At the NW end where it meets a WNW-ESE road a double ditch (Wth 2.7m; H 1.6m) extends SE (L c. 480m) over a low drumlin to where it meets the road again. From its SE point it might continue S (L c. 1km) over Gun Hill to the small E-W stream at Siddan. From its NW end it could continue to the River Dee at the Yellow Ford Bridge (L c. 800m). It appears to be no more than a strong townland boundary of no particular significance. Archaeological testing (03E0900) by P. D. Sweetman on the site of a single house c. 50m to the E at the closest point identified no related material (excavations.ie 2003:1480). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Revised by: Michael Moore Date of revision: 30 October 2018

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