environmental impact statement kilmainhamwood compost facility ...

5361- Kilmainhamwood Compost Facility Extension- EIS
partitioned and was known by the name of ‘Mithe Methe, Media or Midia,’ perhaps from its central
situation. Other writers, however, derive its name from the Irish ‘Maith’ or ‘Magh,’ a "plain," or "level”
country, a derivation indicative of its natural character. It was afterwards divided into two parts,
‘Oireamhoin,’ or “the eastern country," which comprehended the portion now known by the name of
Meath; and ‘Eireamhoin,’ or “the western country," comprehending the present counties of Westmeath
and Longford, with parts of Cavan, Kildare, and the Kings County (Offaly).
County Meath increased in importance in the centuries following. The fertile land, and the large
numbers of cattle supported by it, ensured the wealth of the people of the area. The Irish Annals include
references to Viking raids on monasteries throughout the country. The monks at Iona, Scotland, were
driven from their island retreat by Viking raids and endeavoured to complete their illuminated
manuscript at Kells, to the north of the county, in 807AD. Kells was subsequently plundered and burnt
along with other ecclesiastical foundations. A Viking style burial of possible native Irish was discovered
in a railway cutting at Navan, to the north-east of Trim, in 1845. Meath suffered as a result of its
prominence and wealth throughout the period. There were bloody clashes throughout the eight to
eleventh centuries as various groups tried to achieve or consolidate power.
Later Historic Period
In 1172, Meath was given to Hugh de Lacy, who immediately began organising its colonisation and
settlement (Graham 1974, 40), involving the sub-infeudation of the county into areas roughly
corresponding to modern barony divisions. These baronies were divided up into smaller units known as
manors. There was an overwhelming growth in settlements in this period; many of these remain at the
heart of modern towns and villages, for example, Navan, Ratoath, Athboy, Trim, Dunboyne, and
Dunshaughlin (Bradley 1988, 34–46). The primary form of settlement in medieval Meath was based on
the manorial centre. Generally, this comprised a fortification (usually a motte or later a tower house), a
manorial church and a number of dwellings, which could be nucleated or scattered around the manor.
An example of one of the most important Norman military castles in the general area is Trim castle, built
on the site of a Motte. A total of ninety-eight villages from this period have been identified in Meath
(Graham 1974, 48), with many abandoned from the seventeenth century onwards.
12.2.3 General Archaeological Background
For inspection purposes only.
Consent of copyright owner required for any other use.
There are no known archaeological monuments within the proposed extension area of the existing
compost facility. The following archaeological monuments in the townlands surrounding the assessment
area are included to highlight the type of sites, which survive in the general area.
Sheet No. ME002 and ME005 for County Meath revealed a number of Record of Monuments and
Places (RMP) sites within 1km of the facility boundaries. Refer to Table 12.1 and Figure 12.1 overleaf
for details of archaeological monuments in close proximity to the facility boundaries. Appendix 12.2
presents further details on these monuments.
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