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Meath
Nevinstown, Co. Meath
Early Medieval Unenclosed Souterrain and Raised Settlement
Grid reference: Souterrain N85166882 (285161/268828);
Raised Settlement N85016872 (285017/268725)
SMR No: ME025-004; ME025-043
Excavation License No: N/A
Excavation duration/year: N/A
Site director: M. Cahill (National Museum)
Excavation in advance of a mining development at Nevistown revealed a range of features
spanning prehistory until the post medieval period. The earliest was an urn burial while a late
medieval cross and a potential post medieval cillín burial ground represented the most recent
activity. An unenclosed souterrain denotes early medieval activity while a mound, enclosed by
three ditches, may date to the early and/or later middle-ages.
The souterrain (ME025-004), which appeared to be unenclosed, was in very poor condition
and it was only possible to determine that a passage approximately 12m long led into a
roughly circular beehive-type chamber. It survived to a height of three or four courses
because most of the building material had been robbed. Habitation evidence in the immediate
area was slight consisting only of patches of occupation soil and a pit which contained two
fragments of a saddle quern.
A flat-topped mound (ME025-043) was situated, in proximity to the souterrain, at the end of
a gravel ridge above a bend on the Blackwater River. It was enclosed by three concentric
ditches and large quantities of animal bone were recovered from each. Three phases of
activity were recorded. Phase I consisted of a large number of postholes and similar features
that represented one or more buildings which had burnt down. A kerbed platform measuring
approximately 2m by 3m was constructed during Phase II and large quantities of iron slag,
iron bloom and two iron knives were recovered. Coarse gravel was spread over the resultant
heightened mound during Phase III ad artefacts included bone combs, bone needles, stick
pins, a barrel padlock, a blue glass bead and jet rings.
The function and chronology of the mound remains unclear without radiocarbon dates. The
large quantities of animal bone from each enclosing ditch suggests a settlement aspect as
does the presence – although not clearly defined – of a number of buildings from Phase I.
Phase II was possibly a smith’s forge based on the finds while the domestic nature of the
artefacts from Phase III suggests a settlement function. The finds from Phase III could
conceivably date from the early or late medieval periods but a lack of medieval pottery from
the site seemingly favours an earlier date. Another possibility is that this was originally a
raised early medieval settlement that was re-used by the Anglo-Normans.
(No plans were available for this site).
Reference:
Cahill, M. 1977/79:059, Nevinstown, Co. Meath. www.excavations.ie.
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