Archaeology in Meath

mickrourke

Hi,
This probably crosses a few forums but move if you feel necessary.
Has anybody got any really good archaeological sites that you feel are not as well known as the main ones (Tara, Newgrange, Trim Castle, Kells High crosses) but are well worth a visit.

For example, just outside Oldcastle on the road to Kells is a group of passage tombs, which for me knock the socks off Newgrange - they are called four knocks and i think they do tours in the summer ( maybe someone, Ruu perhaps, can give more info on this) and they're are more on the other hills. I would well advise a look. I will post more later

gipi

The place near Oldcastle is called Loughcrew, and there's info on the [url=
http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/HistoricSites/East/LoughcrewMeath/] Heritage Ireland [/url] website on opening hours.

How about Old Mellifont Abbey, between Drogheda and Slane (it almost qualifies as a Meath location!), very interesting place, visited it for the first time recently.

And don't forget Oldbridge, which isn't archaeological as such, but very historical.....

marco murphy

How about Old Mellifont Abbey, between Drogheda and Slane (it almost qualifies as a Meath location!), very interesting place, visited it for the first time recently.

I think thats a magnificant place very interesting. I would'nt know of any other sites that are'nt known already however.

Ruu_Old

Yeah the passage tombs in Oldcastle are called Sliabh na Cailligh (or the Cairns to the locals). You can get a key and go inside if you want. It is a nice walk up the mountain and a stunning view, especially on a clear day.
There is another passage tomb near there as well and a few more scattered about not too far away. Loughcrew castle ruins are there as well, you can get the key and there is a small restaurant also.

mickrourke

Poblachtach wrote:

I think thats a magnificant place very interesting. I would'nt know of any other sites that are'nt known already however.

Is that the one with the Money tree?
Or has it been all robbed or am i a raving lunatic

Now these things i have never seen before:
Note the excellent flags on the signposts

http://www.knowth.com/greenanstown.htm

mickrourke

This place is quite cool too.

http://www.lookaroundireland.com/meath/bectiveabbey.htm

And if you are into Round towers, Kells isn't the only place with them.

http://www.lookaroundireland.com/meath/donaghmore.htm

marco murphy

Donaghmore is only across the field as such from me well worth a visit. Really you can't throw a stone without finding somewhere. Iam doing an Archaeology module in my Heritage Studies course. We're doing trips to different places, I'll find out some spots and let you know

europerson

Well, as Poblachtach said, one really can't move in Meath without hitting history. Even thinking of where I live in remote northern Meath, I could list several sites of interest within three or four miles of me!

I haven't time tonight to list some of my favourites and find links and what-not: I'll do it tomorrow.

marco murphy

Just curious, with a liscense to dig can you walk onto any land and dig?

mickrourke

Poblachtach wrote:

Just curious, with a liscense to dig can you walk onto any land and dig?

Not sure, I am sure you would need the landowners permission. Any artefacts you find on any land or in lakes, sea whatever in Ireland are subject to the treasure trove act, meaning that the state owns them and you must pass them on to the state/national museum, although you do recieve a finders fee for discovering them. Some people make some money off this with their metal detectors.

Meathgirl

Perestroika wrote: »

Just curious, with a liscense to dig can you walk onto any land and dig?

NO YOU CERTAINLY CAN NOT JUST GO AND DIG!!!!!! YOU have to obtain a licence!!!!!!!!!!

There's a townland just outside Enfield called Cloncurry with an old ruined church and graveyard (sixth century I think). Beside them is a motte and bailey. It's on a farm, but there's a nice right of way path up to them

It's actually really interesting because I just went to the church one day out of curiosity but hadn't realised that the motte and bailey was there - but when you look at it, it's very obvious.

In fact, I was going to start a separate thread on this anyway - if anyone has any information on it, could you please PM me the details???

Cheers!

Meathgirl

is the place outside enfield not Clonard???? i know where the M and B is..... i love to pass it. its a fantastic image of ancient Ireland.....

Meathgirl

The Motte at Clonard. its so cool!!!!!

Cloncurry is on the Kilcock side of Enfield, and that's the one with the M&B I'm taking about. Clonard is on the other side, but if it has a M&B too, I'm going to make a point of going out to see it.

Great photo though, if it is the same one (and it could well be, there's a big tree on top of the one I'm talking about too), I see it from a different road (the N4) and a different angle.

I know that you can see it from the train too, if that's any help.

Ok, after a month of good intentions, I finally went up the M&B and photoed it, and the ruined church beside it. It's a different M&B to the above photo. Which in my mind is a wonderful thing.

One or two of the church and graveyard.
P1010050.JPG

P1010047.JPG

Wile E. Coyote

St Erc's Hermitage in Slane is nice and wouldn't be as well known as some other places. Although it's been a few years since I've been down there and I'm not even sure if you can get to it anymore with all the undergrowth.

Quint

Loughcrew near Oldcastle is one of the best historical sites in the country, well worth a visit.

Meathlass

mickrourke wrote: »

Not sure, I am sure you would need the landowners permission. Any artefacts you find on any land or in lakes, sea whatever in Ireland are subject to the treasure trove act, meaning that the state owns them and you must pass them on to the state/national museum, although you do recieve a finders fee for discovering them. Some people make some money off this with their metal detectors.

This is the situation in England but not in Ireland. Metal detectors are illegal on archaeological sites in Ireland. Even licensed archaeologists must have a very good reason and get a licence from the Museum to use one. You don't necessarily receive anything for handing in objects either, maybe if it's something unusual or good you would. If you're caught on an archaeological site with a metal detector or the guards can prove you were looking for archaeological material there is a hefty fine and possible jail time. Not to be recommened. The reason archaeologists are so against them is that when you find something you dig it up completely out of context. You don't know what layer it was in or it's relationship to other artefacts. It's completely useless then, as you can't reliably tie it into the site's stratigraphy so can't use it for dating.

The best starting place for people interested in archaeology in Meath is to get your hands on the "Archaeological Inventory of County Meath". (There is also one for County Louth which is one of the best published ones as it has more information on each site) It's published in 1987 (badly needs updating), has a blue cover with I think Trim Castle on the front and is written by Michael Smith. It was published by the Office of Public Works but you can get it on amazon. It contains a series of maps based on the 6" ordance survey maps. They have the archaeology sites marked with a circle and a unique number. These are called SMR maps. The rest of the book is divided into site types - earthworks, ringforts, churches, etc with sites listed by each townland and a corresponding number so you can locate them on the map.Each site has a short entry with measurements, any unusual features, co-ordinates and any published entries on it.

The online equivilant is the Govt. website www.archaeology.ie On the main page you can go to the monuments database which is on the right hand side with a picture of a high cross. Click on the disclaimer to continue. You can click on the map or enter in the county and townland or site type to get a list of sites in your area and a corresponding map. It's a great resource tool for archaeologists like myself.