Situated on a fairly level landscape. Archaeological monitoring (98E0352) by Donald Murphy of topsoil removal over an area of about 8 hectares (c. 20 acres) in the N borrowing area of a mining development identified four spreads of burnt mound material and other features that were completely excavated by the same archaeologist under the same license (excavations.ie 1999:708). Area 3 comprised a large spread of black sandy silt with burnt stone (dims 13.5m E-W; 5.5m N-S; max. T 0.38m) overlying a grey silt with some charcoal and burnt stone (max. T 0.15m). The trough was a circular, flat-bottomed pit (diam. 1.7-1.8m; max. D 0.55m) that had a layer of black silt (T 0.1m) below layers of grey silts with no evidence of burnt stone, although a flat-bottomed pit (dims 1.2m x 1m; D 0.56m) just 0.5m to the N did contain silty clay with charcoal and burnt stone. No artefacts were recovered. (Murphy 1999, 8-9) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 March 2023 Murphy, Donald 1999 Report on Archaeological Excavation at Randalstown, Co. Meath. Licence: 98E0352 ext. Unpublished report, Archaeological Consultancy Services

Description Source: Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage