Garretstown
Townland in the civil parish of Trevet, barony of Skreen, Co. Meath
Parcel 190891
- Area
- 541,859 m² (54.19 ha, 133.9 acres)
- Buildings
- No building touches it.
- Zoning
- P5 RA - Rural Area (Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027) The objective
- Townland
- Garretstown
Planning applications on this parcel
No planning application touches this parcel in the national file, which goes back to 2010.
Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.
Designated sites
No designated site (Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, Natural Heritage Area or proposed one) touches this parcel.
Recorded monuments around it
This parcel is in the zone of notification of 7 recorded monuments.
- ME038-015 Field system
Description
Situated on a rise in a fairly level landscape, and just NW of the church (ME038-017----) of Trevet on the W side of a N-S public road. This field was known as the Schoolhouse Field, and there was a folk memory of village around Trevet church (IFC, Schools Collection, vol. 0687, 296). An area of about four hectares (c. 10 acres) in pasture and confined within one modern field has relict field banks and scarps as well as drains (Wth c. 2m; D c. 0.2-0.5m). They create fields (dims c. 30-100m N-S; c. 100m E-W) originating in a curving hollow way (at S: Wth of top 15.5m; D 1.4-1.6m) extending N from the graveyard. A small rectangular enclosure (ME038-016----) is just SW of the hollow way close to the graveyard. See the attached enhanced aerial view from Google Earth (23/09/2013 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. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 10 July 2007 Amended: 13 April, 2022
- ME038-016 Enclosure
Description
Situated on a rise in a fairly level landscape, and just NW of the church (ME038-017----) of Trevet on the W side of a N-S public road. This is part of the field system (ME038-015----) and is just S of the E end of the hollow way. It consists of a raised rectangular and grass-covered area (dims. 33m E-W; 30m N-S) defined by scarps (H c. 1m) with slight fosses and a ramp entrance (Wth 3m) at W. See the attached enhanced view from Google Earth (23/09/2013) 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. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 10 July 2007 Amended: 13 April, 2022
- ME038-017 Church
Description
Located on a rise on a broad, low hill, with wide view out E-S over what would have been the lake of Lagore. An early monastery was founded at Trevet (Treoit) before AD 563, but no trace of it is evident. The founder was probably Lónan, but even his name is not remembered locally (Ó Riain 2011, 403). Notices of scribes and abbots, often called princeps or prince, of Treoit date from 739. The oratory of Treoit was burned in 850 and the church was ruined in warfare in 903. It was burned by Donnchadh O Carroll in 1145 and by the Uí Broinn in 1152 (Cogan 1862-70, 1, 152-4; Gwynn and Hadcock 1970, 46). After the Anglo-Norman settlement the church became parochial. A church dedicated to the Holy Trinity at Trevet is listed in the ecclesiastical taxation (1302-06) of Pope Nicholas IV (Cal. doc. Ire., 5, 254). Ussher (1622) describes the church and chancel at Trivett as ‘somewhat ruined’ (Erlington 1847-64, 1, lxxi). According to the Dopping (1682-5) and Royal (1693) visitations the walls of St Patrick’s church and the chancel at Trevet were standing but it was unroofed, and the graveyard was not fenced (Ellison 1971, 38). The names of many of the clergy are known (Cogan 1862-70, 2, 154-5), but the parish was united with Kilbrew in 1678 (Lewis 1837, 2, 645-6). The parish church is within a raised but neglected subrectangular graveyard (dims c. 62m E-W; c. 43m N-S) defined by masonry walls with very few headstones that appear to be 19th century in date. There is a NNE-SSW public road immediately to the W. There is a mound (ME038-018----) just to the N, and the field system (ME038-015----) with its associated hollow way and rectangular enclosure (ME038-016----) are just to the NW. The church is an undivided nave and chancel structure (int. dims 28m E-W; 6.2m N-S), of which the W wall (with plentiful cairn material inside) and interrupted sections of the N and S walls partially survive (H c. 3m). A destroyed S doorway, which has an ogee-headed stoup (Wth 0.25m; H 0.45m; D 0.23m) with chamfered edges, on the E side of the embrasure is the only recognisable feature. There is one window embrasure W of the S doorway and two to the E, and a corbel in the inner face of the S wall, E of the surviving embrasure suggests that there may have been a rood loft. The walls at the E end of the church are reduced to the grass-covered foundations. Two stones associated with the memorial of Sir Thomas Cusack dated 1571 (FitzGerald 1917; Roe 1969, 18-19; Hickey 1971, 82-90) are in the chancel area, but they are obscured by growth. A small armorial stone was moved to Staffordstown church (ME032-001003-), probably before the middle of the 18th century, where it cannot now be located, and a large side-stone depicting the family is now displayed in the Church of Ireland church at Tara (ME031-033084-) (Hickey 1971, 77-82). A broken heraldic stone (dims 2.56m x 1.22m) has a family tree representing the children and some grandchildren of Sir Thomas and his wife, Dame Maud (nee Darcy), depicted as shields springing from a central stem. The arms of three sons are on the dexter (left as viewed and reading from the bottom) side, and the crests of the husbands of seven daughters are on the sinister side. From the crests depicted Hickey concludes that it was commissioned c. 1604-09 by Sir Abrose Forthe, whose family held the tithes of Trevet and who was married to a granddaughter of Sir Thomas, (ibid. 82-4). There were multiple alliances with the Aylmer family of Lyons, Co. Kildare, but other families represented were Tuite, Bellew, Talbot, Cruise, Handcock, Butler, Cowley, and Morrogh O’Brien, 4th Baron Inchequin, the first husband of Margaret. Another stone (dims 2.15m x 0.87m) is broken in several places and has an incised inscription commemorating Sir Thomas, who was Lord High Chancellor, or chief law officer, at one point (FitzGerald 1917). The stone was carved by his son John, and the epitaph composed by a grandson, James. The inscription is surrounded by mementes mori – death as a skeleton aiming an arrow at Sir Thomas who holds an hour-glass, a shroud with a spirit arising from it, and a mermaid for the Cusack family. 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. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of revision: 18 March 2015
- ME038-017001 Graveyard
Description
Located on a rise on a broad, low hill, with wide view out E-S over what would have been the lake of Lagore. The site of the early monastery and the parish church of Trevet (ME038-017----) are within a raised but neglected subrectangular graveyard (dims c. 62m E-W; c. 43m N-S) defined by masonry walls with very few headstones that appear to be 19th century in date. According to the Dopping visitation (1682-5) it was not enclosed in the late 17th century (Ellison 1971, 38). Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 18 March, 2015
- ME038-017002 Armorial plaque
Description
Two stones associated with the memorial of Sir Thomas Cusack dated 1571 (FitzGerald 1917; Hickey 1971, 82-90) are in the chancel area of Trevet church (ME038-013----), but a small armorial stone (ME032-001003-) was moved to Staffordstown church, probably before 1750, where it cannot now be located, and a large side-stone depicting the family is now displayed in the Church of Ireland church at Tara (ME031-033084-) (Hickey 1971, 77-82). The mensa of the tomb (ME038-017003-) is also in the chancel at Trevet. A broken heraldic stone (dims 2.56m x 1.22m) has a family tree representing the children and some grandchildren of Sir Thomas and his wife, Dame Maud (nee Darcy), depicted as shields springing from a central stem. The arms of three sons are on the dexter (left as viewed and reading from the bottom) side, and the crests of the husbands of seven daughters are on the sinister side. From the crests depicted Hickey concludes that it was commissioned c. 1604-09 by Sir Abrose Forthe, who held the tithes of Trevet and was married to a granddaughter of Sir Thomas, (ibid. 82-4). There were multiple alliances with the Aylmer family of Lyons, Co. Kildare (KD015-005----), but other families represented were Tuite, Bellew, Talbot, Cruise, Handcocke, Butler, Cowley, and Morrogh O’Brien, 4th Baron Inchequin, the first husband of Margaret. See the attached PDF document for a description of the stone by Hickey (1971, 82-6) and the attached JPG for a drawing of the stone. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 19 March, 2015
- ME038-017003 Tomb - chest tomb
Description
Two stones associated with the memorial of Sir Thomas Cusack dated 1571 (FitzGerald 1917; Hickey 1971, 82-90) are in the chancel area of Trevet parish church (ME038-017----), but a small armorial stone (ME032-001003-) was moved to Staffordstown church, probably before 1750, where it cannot now be located, and a large side-stone depicting the family is now displayed in the Church of Ireland church at Tara (ME031-033084-) (Hickey 1971, 77-82). A broken heraldic stone (ME038-017002-) with the family tree is in the chancel of Trevet. Another stone (dims 2.15m x 0.87m), also in the chancel, is broken in several places and has an incised inscription in Latin commemorating Sir Thomas, who was Lord High Chancellor of Ireland, or chief law officer, at one point (FitzGerald 1917). The stone was carved by his son John, and the epitaph composed by a grandson, James. The inscription is surrounded by mementes mori – death as a skeleton aiming an arrow at Sir Thomas who holds an hour-glass, a shroud with a spirit arising from it, and a mermaid for the Cusack family. Hickey (1971, 82-3) concludes that the stones were commissioned c. 1604-09 by Sir Abrose Forthe, who held the tithes of Trevet and was married to a granddaughter of Sir Thomas. See the attached PDF document for a description of the stone and inscription by Hickey (1971). Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 19 March, 2015
- ME038-018 Barrow - mound barrow
Description
Located on the summit of a rise in a fairly level landscape, and just N of the graveyard of Trevet church (ME038-017----). This is depicted as a circular embanked feature described as a ‘Mound’ in gothic lettering on the 1836 edition of the OS 6-inch map and as a hachured feature on the 1908 edition. It is described in 1969 (SMR file) as a grass and scrub-covered oval mound (dims 16.5m NE-SW; 11.5m NW-SE; H 1.9m at SW to 2.4m at NE) with mature deciduous trees. There is no visible fosse or outer bank and it has a rounded top. 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. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 10 July 2007 Amended: 13 April, 2022
Architectural heritage
No building of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage stands on this parcel.
Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).
Ground and risks
- Radon
- About 1 in 20 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home
- Landslides
- Susceptibility low, low (inferred), on the 1:50,000 map.
- Terrain model
- No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of this parcel.
- Flooding
- The flood maps of the Office of Public Works: floodinfo.ie.
Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency; Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland; both CC BY 4.0. LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.
Download this parcel: DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its neighbours and buildings, for a drawing program; GeoJSON, in WGS 84, for a map; KML, for Google Earth.
Registered freehold land, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. A parcel is the land of a title, not an address. The owner's name is in the Land Registry of Tailte Éireann: a copy of the folio can be ordered on landdirect.ie, for a fee.
- Area
- 273.7 ha
- 676 acres
- Land parcels
- 65
- registered freehold, median 3,864 m² (0.39 ha, 0.95 acres)
- Zoning
- P5
- RA - Rural Area
- Planning
- 10
- applications since 2010
Land parcels
Registered freehold land, Tailte Éireann
65 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Garretstown, from 15 m² to 722,874 m² (72.29 ha, 178.63 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 32 neighbouring parcels touch it.
Download the townland: DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings; GeoJSON or KML.
Zoning
Development plans, national zoning
- P5RA - Rural Area (Mixed/general primary sector uses, including 'rural')
Meath County Development Plan 2021-2027, Meath · 97 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
Source: Tailte Éireann and the Department of Housing (MyPlan), national zoning, CC BY 4.0.
Planning applications
Sites that touch the townland, newest first
30 Sept 2024Refused
the development will consist of: a part 2 story, part single story dwelling and detached domestic garage, existing residential entrance to be upgraded to a dual entrance to service proposed dwelling and existing dwelling, driveway, septic tank and percolation area, landscaping and all associated works
Permission, 1 home · Meath County Council, 2460800
11 Jul 2024N/a
The development will consist of: a part 2 story, part single story dwelling and detached domestic garage, existing agricultural entrance to be changed to a residential entrance, driveway, septic tank and percolation area, landscaping and all associated works.
Permission, 1 home · Meath County Council, 2460521
28 Aug 2023Conditional
the development consists of the construction of new 279 sq.m. two storey dwelling, new 89 sq.m. two storey detached garage with store / games room over, new site entrance gates and piers, the installation of new waste water treatment plant, along with all associated site works
Permission, 1 home · Meath County Council, 2360237
4 Jun 2023Conditional
The application relates to the internal layout and elevational redesign of previously approved 279 sq.m two storey domestic dwelling. All other elements of previously approved planning application ref: 21/586 remain unchanged, such as new site entrance gates and piers, the installation of new waste water treatment plant, site location, site boundary treatments, along with all associated site works.
Permission, 1 home · Meath County Council, 2360078
24 Sept 2021Conditional
the proposed development will consist of: convert attic of existing single storey dwelling to habitable accommodation, construct 3 no. dormers to front elevation, construct flat roof extension at first floor level to rear, construct single storey extension to north western side of existing house, construct porch to front elevation, construct single storey outbuilding, containing plant room and outdoor kitchen, to rear of existing garage, upgrade existing waste water treatment system and percolation area together with all associated site works. Significant further information/revised plans submitted on this application
Permission, 1 home · Meath County Council, 211875
29 Mar 2021Conditional
the construction of new 279sq.m. two storey dwelling, the construction of new site entrance gates and piers, the installation of new waste water treatment plant, along with all associated site works
Permission, 1 home · Meath County Council, 21586
7 Oct 2019N/a
the construction of 6 No. Stables with horse paddock area to rear of a proposed dwelling house, previously granted under permission reg. ref. AA/161087, together with all associated site development/landscaping works
Permission · Meath County Council, AA191314
15 May 2019Conditional
change of house type from that granted under planning ref. no: AA171471 being; revised two storey house. All other development and all associated works will remain as per previously granted
Permission, 2 homes · Meath County Council, AA190606
3 Oct 2018Conditional
construction of single storey extensions to the front and side of existing dwelling house, minor internal and fenestration amendments, replacement of existing wastewater treatment system with new BAF wastewater treatment system and new percolation area. The development it is proposed to retain consists of an existing single storey detached domestic garage
Permission · Meath County Council, AA181151
18 Dec 2017Conditional
the development will consist of erection of traditional two storey house, detached domestic garage, revised existing entrance off public road, well, proprietary effluent treatment system soil polishing filter area, & all ancillary site works
Permission, 2 homes · Meath County Council, AA171471
Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.
Nature and heritage
Designated sites and recorded monuments
Designated sites
No designated site (Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, Natural Heritage Area or proposed one) touches the townland of Garretstown.
Recorded monuments
- ME038-061 Enclosure
Description
Located at the crest of the NW-facing slope of a broad low hill. The cropmark of a circular enclosure (diam. c. 25m) defined by a single fosse is only visible on Google Earth (21/07/2021). It was first reported by Jean Charles Caillére. See the attached enhanced view from Google Earth (21/07/2021) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 4 January 2022
- ME038-062 Enclosure
Description
Situated on a rise in a gently undulating landscape. The faint cropmark of a circular enclosure (diam. c. 35m) defined by a single fosse is visible only on Apple Maps. It was first reported by Jean Charles Caillére. See the attached enhanced view from Apple Maps Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 21 February 2022
- ME038-070 Enclosure
Description
Located on the S-facing crest of a broad low hill and on the plateau to its N. An enclosure complex consisting of a rectangular enclosure with an internal square feature and attached external ditches, was identified just to the W of the route of the M3 motorway in a gradiometer survey (00R0064) by GBS Prospection (2001, 10) at Area 26, but the survey was limited to the area W of an existing NNE-SSW field boundary. The road just clipped the E edge of the rectangular enclosure which is preserved on the W side of the motorway. The rectangular enclosure is a large area (int. dims c. 60m E-W; c. 58m N-S) defined by substantial ditches (Wth c. 3m). The internal feature (int. dims c. 15m x c. 15m) is defined by a wide ditch (Wth c. 2-3m) and the interior of the larger enclosure is divided up by slighter ditches emanating from the smaller enclosure. Further light features enclose a circular or D-shaped area to the N which might be connected with some of the ditches of the field system (ME038-071008-) in the excavated area. During archaeological testing (04E0416) for the M3 motorway J. Dempsey (2004) was able to sample the E fosse (L 37.5m; Wth 1.6m; D 1.1m) of the outer enclosure but the only artefact recovered was a sherd of green-glazed pottery the its surface (excavations.ie 2004: 1242). See the attached images from GBS Prospection (2001, figs A57, A58) _1 Raw data; _2 Interpretation; Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 21 April, 2022
- ME038-071001 Ring-ditch
Description
Located on the S-facing crest of a broad low hill and on the plateau to its N. An enclosure complex consisting of a rectangular enclosure with an internal square feature and attached external ditches (ME038-070----), was identified just to the W of the route of the M3 motorway in a gradiometer survey (00R0064) by GBS Prospection (2001, 10), but the survey was limited to the area W of an existing NNE-SSW field boundary. The road just clipped the E edge of the rectangular enclosure which is preserved on the W side of the motorway. Archaeological centre-line testing (04E0416) by J. Dempsey (2004, 11-23) of the area to the E at Testing Area 2, Contract 2, prior to the construction of the motorway (excavations.ie: 2004:1242) was able to clarify the full archaeological potential of the area within the road-take. This area was completely excavated (E003061) by S. Rathbone as Garretstown 2 from March to December 2006 (excavations.ie 2006:1567; 2007:1317) when an area of 19,000 square metres was opened. Seven ring-ditches and seven kilns were completely excavated together with portions of the rectangular enclosure (ME038-070----) to the W and a rath (ME038-072----) to the E. Three broad periods are represented by the Middle Bronze Age ring-ditches from which no burial evidence was recovered, followed by the late Iron Age rectangular enclosure and by the use of the rath and kilns in the early medieval period. Situated at the S-facing crest of a broad low hill. This (44) is an almost perfectly circular area (int. diam. 13m; ext. diam. 18.4m) defined by a complete fosse (Wth of top 2.6m; max. D 1.3m). The five layers in the ditch contained large quantities of broken shale but negligible amounts of bone or charcoal, although a C14 date of 1653-1393 cal. BC has been derived trough OSL dating. It cannot be shown to have had a central mound or an outer bank, and the only artefacts recovered were a flint flake and a fragment of a possible stone axe. One pit in the interior was cut by later E-W ditches and only a small portion with a thin layer of burnt material including unidentified cremated bone on its base and sides survived. A pit (diam. 0.75m; D 0.45m) just to the SE and another pit (diam. 0.95m; D 0.45m) immediately to the NNE are probably related to it but produced no material. (Rathbone 2009, 3-5) See the attached plans adapted from Rathbone (2009, figs 8, 10, 14) ME038-071_1 Remotely sensed and excavated features; ME038-071_2 Central excavated area; ME038-071001- Ring-ditch Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 21 April 2022
- ME038-071002 Ring-ditch
Description
Located on the plateau of a broad low hill and 17m N of the ring-ditch (ME038-071001-). This (208) is a subrectangular rounded area (int. dims c. 8m x c. 8m) defined by a funnel-shaped fosse (Wth of top 3.45m; max. D 1.56) creating a circular external edge (ext. diam. 15.3-15.8m). Two basal layers in the fosse had a large proportion of shale, but the ditch was re-cut on almost the same line, and the fills of this fosse had a similar make-up. A second re-cut had a V-shaped section and its lower fills indicate a slower infilling, after which there was a steady accumulation. There were no internal features and the only artefact recovered was a scraper from the upper fill of the fosse. No bone occurred anywhere in the deposits. (Rathbone 2009, 5-6) True location: ITM (695938, 754836) See the attached plans adapted from Rathbone (2009, figs 8, 11, 14) ME038-071_1 Location; ME038-071_2 Location; ME038-071002-_1 Plan; Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 21 April 2022
- ME038-071003 Ring-ditch
Description
Located on the plateau of a broad low hill, at the W edge of the excavated area and c. 42m NW of ring-ditch (ME038-071001-). This (234) is an arc of a small U-shaped ditch (Wth 0.45m; D 0.21m) ENE-S-WSW enclosing a small circular area (ext. diam. 4.3m) but the ditch is entirely absent at N. Its W terminal was rounded but the E had been removed by a modern feature. (Rathbone 2090, 6-7) True location: ITM (695903, 754828) See the attached plans adapted from Rathbone (2009 figs 8, 14) _1 Site plan; _2 Ring-ditches; Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 2022
- ME038-071004 Ring-ditch
Description
Located on the plateau of a broad low hill c. 5m NW of ring-ditch (ME038-071002-) and c. 40m N of the central barrow (ME038-071001-). This (418) survived as an arc of a fosse (Wth 0.5m; D 0.4m) on the N side of an E-W Iron Age ditch. It is a small circular area (int. diam. c. 3.2m; ext. diam. c. 5.1m) and produced no artefacts or dating material. (Rathbone 2009, 7) True location: ITM (695948, 754849) See the attached plans adapted from Rathbone (2009, figs 9, 14) _1 Site plan; _3 Ring-ditches; Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 21 April 2022
- ME038-071005 Ring-ditch
Description
Located on the plateau of a broad low hill, c. 20m ENE of ring-ditch (ME038-071002-) and c. 30m NE of the central barrow (ME038-071001-). This (10) is the arc of a round-bottomed fosse (max. Wth 0.36m; max. D 0.14m) with a rounded terminal at N. It enclosed S-W-N a D-shaped area (dims 12m N-S; 6.5m E-W), but the S terminal was removed by a kiln (ME038-071009-). Its fill was a grey sandy clay with some charcoal flecks but no artefacts or dating material were recovered. (Rathbone 2009, 7) True location: ITM (695948, 754849) See the attached plans adapted from Rathbone (2009 figs 9, 14) _1 Site plan; _3 Ring-ditches; Compiled by Michael Moore Date of upload; 21 April 2022
- ME038-071006 Ring-ditch
Description
Located towards the bottom of the S-facing slope of a broad low hill and c. 85m SSE of the central barrow (ME038-071001-). This (134) is a circular area (int. diam. 1.8m; ext. diam. 3.1m) defined by a complete rounded ditch (max. Wth 0.6m; max. D 0.3m) with two fills, the lower of which contained some charcoal. (Rathbone 2009, 7) True location: ITM (695857, 754833) See the attached plan from Rathbone (2009, fig. 14) _1 Site plan; Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 21 April 2022
- ME038-071007 Ring-ditch
Description
Located on the plateau of a broad low hill, just NE of ring-ditch (ME038-071001-). This (38) is the C-shaped arc of a round-bottomed fosse (max. Wth 0.55m; max. D 0.24m) SW-W-NE that enclosed a D-shaped area (dims 21.85m NE-SW; 10m NW-SE). There is a gap (Wth 1m plus) at NW but is W side was cut by a kiln (ME038-071011-). A shallow rectangular pit (dims 2m NW-SE; 1m NE-SW; max. D 0.1m) filled with a grey-brown sandy clay over a setting of small stones at its base is at the centre of the ring-ditch. No artefacts or dating material were recovered. (Rathbone 2009, 7-8) True location: ITM (695857, 754833) See the attached plans adapted from Rathbone (2009, figs 8, 14) _1 Site plan; _2 Ring-ditches; Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 21 April 2022
- ME038-071008 Field system
Description
Located on the S-facing crest of a broad low hill and on the plateau to its N. Two E-W boundary ditches, placed c. 25-43m apart, cross the excavated area, converging at E and W but not meeting. They would seem to relate primarily to the rectangular enclosure to the W of the excavated area and to have been established in sections. The S boundary cuts the ring-ditch (ME038-071001-) and its E end is cut by the fosse of the rath (ME038-072----), while the N ditch truncates the ring-ditches (ME038-071004-) and (ME038-071005-) and connects with the fosse of the rath, although that sequence has not been fully resolved. The original S ditch (L 78m plus; max. Wth 4m; D c. 1.4m) was dated by OSL to 202-413 AD. It was re-cut three times, and a sherd of E-ware, dated to the sixth or seventh centuries AD, was recovered from its second re-cut, while a sherd of locally made high medieval pottery dating to the thirteenth or fourteenth century was recorded from the final re-cutting. The N ditch (L c. 104m; Wth c. 2.2m; D c. 0.8m) had two sterile fills, but a lens of charcoal in the upper fill yielded a C14 date of 357-50 cal. BC (BETA 246979), while an OSL date of 2-213 AD was provided by the topmost fill, from which a sherd of E-ware was also recovered. It appears to have cut the long but slight N-S gullies associated with the rath. From the SW edge of the excavation a V-shaped ditch (L 40m; max. Wth 2.4m; max. D 0.6m) arcs NE towards the S boundary but stops 1m from it. Its single fill was largely sterile, but a lens of charcoal-rich material near its base yielded a C14 date of 668-870 cal. AD (BETA 246980). This was the second iteration of the ditch and its earlier version produced a C14 date of 605-769 cal. AD (BETA 246981) and cut two rectangular pits in its base. One of the pits (dims 4.7m x 1.8m; D 0.6m) with rounded corners was cut through bedrock. It was aligned with the later ditch but was filled with sterile clay. Also, from the NW edge of the excavation a V-shaped ditch (L 40m; max. Wth c. 2m; max. D 1m) arcs SE towards the N boundary and connects with it. Animal bone from the top fill produced a C14 date of 695-967 cal. AD (BETA 246978). (Rathbone 2009, 8-12) See the attached plans adapted from Rathbone (2009, figs 14, 15) _1 Site plan; _5; Interpretive plan; Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 21 April 2022
- ME038-071009 Kiln - corn-drying
Description
This kiln (14) is a keyhole-shaped feature (dims 2.12m E-W; 1.16m N-S; D 0.35m at E to 0.46m at W) that cut the S terminal of ring-ditch (ME038-071005-) and is c. 2m N of kiln (ME038-071010-). It is c. 35m NNE of the central barrow (ME038-071001-). The kiln had six fills, mostly thin charcoal-rich layers with burnt bone confined to the W bowl. A large quantity of cereal grains, overwhelmingly barley, was recovered. A sample of barley from the uppermost fill returned a date of 434-644 cal. AD (BETA 241299). (Rathbone 2009, 18-19) See the attached plans adapted from Rathbone (2009, figs 8, 14) _1 Site plan; _4 Corn-drying kilns; Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 21 April 2022
- ME038-071010 Kiln - corn-drying
Description
This kiln (16) is an oval feature (dims 2.1m E-W; 1.2m N-S; D 0.65m) located c. 2m S of kiln (ME038-071009-) and c. 33m NNE of the central barrow (ME038-071001-). It is steep-sided with a fire-reddened base, particularly at its W end. The kiln had nine distinct fills, but two periods of use separated by a deliberate infilling could be distinguished. Barley predominated in both, although wheat was appearing in the second. A sample of barley from the basal fill returned a date of 422-596 cal. AD (BETA 241298). (Rathbone 2009, 19) True location: ITM (695967, 754834) See the attached plans adapted from Rathbone (2009, figs 8, 14) _1 Site plan; _4 Corn-drying kilns; Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 21 April, 2022
- ME038-071011 Kiln - corn-drying
Description
This kiln (52) is located at the N end of the W section of ditch from the ring-ditch (ME038-071007-) and c. 20m N of the central barrow (ME038-071001-). It is presumed that the kiln cut through the ditch but this is not absolutely certain. The kiln is an oval feature (dims 2.05m NW-SE; 1.45m NE-SW) with only two fills, and only small traces of charcoal. Two barley grains were recovered from it, and these produced a C14 date of 409-575 cal. AD (BETA 246970). The kiln overlay an earlier kiln (66) which was an oval pit (dims 2.15m NW-SE; 0.6m NE-SW; with vertical sides around the deeper NW end. The upper fills were burnt from the kiln above but all the fills contained charcoal and burnt clay. The lowest fill provided a C14 date of 420-601 cal. AD (BETA 246971). Two vertical cuts (diam. 0.25m) ran through the hardened upper deposits and were filled with softer clays with charcoal, charred barley grains and occasional burnt animal bone. A sample of barley from this produced a date of 427-609 cal. AD (BETA 246971). (Rathbone 2009, 19-21) True location: ITM (695953, 754830) See the attached plans adapted from Rathbone (2009, figs 8, 14) _1 Site plan; _4 Corn-drying kilns; Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 21 April 2022
- ME038-071012 Kiln - corn-drying
Description
This (70) figure-of-eight kiln (dims 2.12m E-W; 0.86m N-S) is in the central area c. 25m NE of the central barrow (ME038-071001-). Its E end (max. D 0.11m) had been cut through a N-S drain but the W end (max. D 0.46m) survived better. The basal layer was a thin charcoal-rich layer with cereal grains and a sample of cherry from it produced a C14 date of 551-659 cal. AD (BETA 241300). The two upper layers contained less charcoal but did include some animal bone. (Rathbone 2009, 21) True location: ITM (695968, 754828) See the attached plans adapted from Rathbone (2009, figs 8, 14) _1 Site plan; _4 Corn-drying kilns; Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 21 April 2022
- ME038-071013 Kiln - corn-drying
Description
This kiln (112) is keyhole-shaped (dims 1.67m N-S; 0.5m to 0.95m E-W at N; max. D 0.2m at N) and is at the centre of the excavated area, c. 4m E of the central barrow (ME038-071001-). It had two layers and a large quantity of barley grains were recovered from it. (Rathbone 2009, 22) True location: ITM (695968, 754828) See the attached plans adapted from Rathbone (2009, figs 8, 14) _1 Site plan; _4 Corn-drying kilns; Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 21 April 2022
- ME038-071014 Kiln - corn-drying
Description
This kiln (136) is an oval feature (dims 2.05m E-W; 0.85m N-S; max. D 0.28m at E) located in the central area c. 12m E of the central barrow (ME038-071001-) but its S half had been removed by the S boundary of the field system. It had three fills but the basal layer of a fire-reddened sandy clay was limited to the E end. The overlying charcoal layer included oak and some barley grains, one of which yielded a C14 date of 427-609 cal. AD (BETA 246973). (Rathbone 2009, 22) True location: ITM (695965, 754806) See the attached plans adapted from Rathbone (2009, figs 8, 14) _1 Site plan; _4 Corn-drying kilns; Compiled by: Michael Moore# Date of upload: 21 April 2022
- ME038-071015 Kiln - corn-drying
Description
This keyhole-shaped kiln (202) consisted of a flue (L c. 2m; Wth c. 0.4m) leading N to a bowl (dims 1.8m x 1.4m; max. D 0.5m) and it is at the W edge of the excavated area, c. 28m W of the central barrow (MEA038-071001-). It had been re-cut once, but its original basal, charcoal-rich, layer produced most of the cereal grains recovered, and these were dominated by oats but a barley grain provided a radiocarbon date of 695-967 cal. AD (BETA 246978). (Rthbone 2009, 22-23) True location: ITM (695904, 754803) See the attached plans adapted from Rathbone (2009, figs 8, 14) _1 Site plan; _4 Corn-drying kilns; Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 21 April, 2022
- ME038-071016 Excavation - miscellaneous
Description
There were nine pits (diam. 0.54m; D 0.08m to dims 2.25m x 1.3m; D 0.2m) in the excavated area that could not be stratigraphically associated with other features, but their fills generally contained some charcoal, animal bone or burnt clay. Three of them, from which samples were submitted, returned Iron Age dates. A small pit (diam. 0.66m; D 0.15m) yielded a C14 date of 398-206 cal. BC (BETA 246972). Of three intercutting pits, the second (dims 2m x 0.8m; max. D 0.44m) produced radiocarbon dates of 161-68 cal. BC (BETA 246977) from its middle fill and 86-334 cal. AD (BETA 246976) from its final layer. The S end of this pit was cut by an oval pit (dims 1.2m x 0.85m; max. D 0.38m), and a sample of willow charcoal from its bottom layer provided a C14 date of cal. 88 BC - 124 cal. AD (BETA 246975). (Rathbone 2009, 16-18) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 21 April 2022
- ME038-072 Ringfort - rath
Description
Located on the S-facing crest of a broad low hill and on the plateau to its N. An enclosure complex consisting of a rectangular enclosure with an internal square feature and attached external ditches (ME038-070----), was identified just to the W of the route of the M3 motorway in a gradiometer survey (00R0064) by GBS Prospection (2001, 10), but the survey was limited to the area W of an existing NNE-SSW field boundary. The road just clipped the E edge of the rectangular enclosure which is preserved on the W side of the motorway. Archaeological centre-line testing (04E0416) by J. Dempsey (2004, 11-23) of the area to the E at Testing Area 2, Contract 2, prior to the construction of the motorway (excavations.ie: 2004:1242) was able to clarify the full archaeological potential of the area within the road-take. This area was completely excavated (E003061) by S. Rathbone as Garretstown 2 from March to December 2006 (excavations.ie 2006:1567; 2007:1317) when an area of 19,000 square metres was opened. Seven ring-ditches and seven kilns were completely excavated together with portions of the rectangular enclosure (ME038-070----) to the W and a rath (ME038-072----) to the E. Three broad periods are represented by the Middle Bronze Age ring-ditches from which no burial evidence was recovered, followed by the late Iron Age rectangular enclosure and by the use of the rath and kilns in the early medieval period. The rath is situated at the crest of the S-facing slope of a broad hill. About one third of the interior (int. diam. c. 37.5m; ext. diam. c. 47.4m) was excavated at the E edge of the excavated area. Its earliest ditch was funnel-shaped (Wth of top c. 3m; D c. 1.9m) and two layers are assigned to it. A sample of a cattle mandible retrieved from the upper fill yielded a C14 date of 647-779 cal. AD (BETA 220138), while the primary cut was dated by OSL to AD 497-707. South of the point where it cuts the S boundary of the field system it is accompanied by two smaller, ditches (Wth 1.7m; max. D 0.9m: Wth c. 1.12m; max. D 0.8m) with sterile fills on its inner side but the relationships of all these ditches are not established. The rath ditch was re-cut (Wth c. 3.4m; D c. 0.9-1.5m), revealing rectangular pits (dims 1.6m x 0.5m; D 0.8m: 1.3m x 0.5m; D 0.7m; 2.9m x 0.8m; D 0.2m) in its base running in the same line as the rath ditch and with sterile fills. One of these pits cut an even earlier pit (dims 3.5m x 2m; max. D 1.3m). (Rathbone 2009, 12-14) West of the rath ditch and N of the S boundary of the large field ditches a gully (Wth c. 0.6m; D 0.2m) extended N (L 80m plus) but its intersection with the boundary ditch was obscured by a kiln (ME038-071014-), although it clearly turned W at this point to form a new S edge of the fields. The N-S gully was replaced by another N-S gully (L 25.5m) that turned E (L 19.5m plus) at its N end and bifurcated at its S end, sending an arm E (Wth c. 1.2m; D c. 0.5m) to be cut by the fosse of the rath and another branch SW to debouch into the S boundary. Another tributary extended E towards the rath (L 13m). (Rathbone 14-16) See the attached plans adapted from Rathbone (2009, figs 14, 15) _1 Site plan; _2 Phase 1; Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 21 April, 2020
Architectural heritage
No building of the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage stands in the townland of Garretstown.
Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).
Ground and risks
Radon, landslides, flooding
- Radon
- About 1 in 10 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home
- Landslides
- Susceptibility low, low (inferred), on the 1:50,000 map.
- Terrain model
- No LiDAR survey of the Office of Public Works covers the centre of the townland of Garretstown.
- Flooding
- The flood maps of the Office of Public Works: floodinfo.ie.
Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency; Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland; both CC BY 4.0. LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.
Homes sold
Property Price Register
No address of the register names Garretstown with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Meath.
The townland
- Name
- Garretstown
- Area
- 2,736,909 m² (273.69 ha, 676.3 acres)
- Civil parish
- Trevet, and its townlands
- Barony
- Skreen
- Electoral division
- Skreen, the unit of the census
- Census 2022
- Skreen electoral division: 1,673 people in 561 households; 86% of households own their home; 27% of homes were built since 2001; 7% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 0% were holiday homes.
- Neighbouring townlands
- Berrillstown, Glebe, Redbog, Roestown, Smithstown, Thomastown, Trevet, Trevet Grange
- Placenames
- Garretstown on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland
Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. Census 2022, Small Area Population Statistics by electoral division, Central Statistics Office, CC BY 4.0. A townland is the smallest land division of Ireland, and the unit of a rural address; old registers such as the 1901 and 1911 censuses file it under its civil parish and barony.