Slane Lower is a barony of County Meath, in the historical province of Leinster (Irish: Baile Shláine Íochtarach), covering 106 km² of land. The barony records 165 NMS archaeological sites and 30 NIAH listed buildings, placing it at around the 36th percentile among 280 ROI baronies for sites per km². This means it is in the lower half of all baronies for sites per km². Dated archaeological evidence runs from the Early Bronze Age through to the Medieval, spanning 5 of 9 archaeological periods, placing the barony in the 6th percentile among 280 ROI baronies for chronological depth. This means it is in the bottom tenth of all baronies for chronological depth. The largest dated subset of recorded sites dates to the Early Medieval. Logainm flags 16 placenames in the barony as carrying a recognised heritage root; the largest share — around 56% — are names associated with pre-christian defensive.
Heritage at a glance
Percentile rankings throughout this profile compare each barony only against the other 279 Republic of Ireland baronies.
The recorded heritage of Slane Lower
The National Monuments Service Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) is the statutory inventory of archaeological sites for the Republic of Ireland, maintained by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. Sites recorded here include earthworks, ringforts, megalithic tombs, ecclesiastical remains, and post-medieval features; not every record is legally protected, but each is registered as a monument of archaeological interest.
The National Monuments Service records 165 archaeological sites in Slane Lower, putting it at the 36th percentile among 280 ROI baronies for sites per km². This means it is in the lower half of all baronies for sites per km². Protection coverage is near-universal — 164 sites (99%) fall within a recorded monument protection zone, indicating an extensively surveyed landscape. The record is dominated by defensive sites — ringforts, enclosures, hillforts, and stone forts (67 sites, 41% of the total), with burial and ritual monuments forming a substantial secondary presence (29 sites, 18%). Ringfort – rath is the most prevalent type, making up 20% of the barony's recorded sites (33 records), broadly in line with the ROI average of 20% across all baronies where this type occurs. Ringfort – rath is an earthen ringfort enclosed by a bank and external ditch — the most common Early Medieval farmstead, broadly dated 500–1000 AD. Other significant types include Barrow – ring-barrow (17) and Enclosure (9). Barrow – ring-barrow is a Bronze/Iron Age burial monument: a low circular area enclosed by ditch and outer bank; Enclosure is a banked or ditched feature of uncertain type, used as a catch-all where the original function cannot be determined from surface evidence. Across the barony's 106 km², this gives a recorded density of 1.55 sites per km².
Most common monument types
Hover or tap a monument type to see its definition.
| Type | Count |
|---|---|
| Ringfort – rath an earthen ringfort enclosed by a bank and external ditch — the most common Early Medieval farmstead, broadly dated 500–1000 AD | 33 |
| Barrow – ring-barrow a Bronze/Iron Age burial monument: a low circular area enclosed by ditch and outer bank | 17 |
| Enclosure a banked or ditched feature of uncertain type, used as a catch-all where the original function cannot be determined from surface evidence | 9 |
| Church a building used for public Christian worship, of any date from c. 500 AD onwards | 8 |
| Graveyard a burial area associated with a church, in use from the medieval period onwards | 8 |
| Fulacht fia a horseshoe-shaped Bronze Age burnt mound built around a sunken trough beside a water source, traditionally interpreted as a cooking site | 6 |
| Hut site a low stone or earthen foundation enclosing a small circular or oval area, generally interpreted as a former dwelling, of any date from prehistory to the medieval period | 6 |
| Castle – unclassified a castle whose form cannot be precisely classified, dating somewhere between the late 12th and 16th centuries | 5 |
Chronological distribution
The dated archaeological record for Slane Lower spans from the Early Bronze Age through to the Medieval, with activity attested across 5 of 9 archaeological periods. This is the 6th percentile across ROI baronies — a relatively narrow chronological band, with much of Irish prehistory not represented in the dated record. Every period from earliest to latest is represented in the record — an unbroken sequence of dated activity across the full chronological span. Activity concentrates most heavily in the Early Medieval (41 sites, 32% of dated material), with the Iron Age forming a secondary peak (31 sites, 24%). A further 38 recorded sites (23% of the overall NMS register for the barony) carry no period attribution — appearing as 'Unknown' in the bar chart below. This typically reflects either records that pre-date the standardised period vocabulary or sites awaiting specialist dating review, rather than a genuine absence of chronological evidence.
Sample of recorded monuments
Show 25 sample monuments (of 165 total)
A representative sample of 25 recorded monuments drawn from the barony’s 165 total NMS entries. Sites within a recorded monument protection zone and rarer site types are prioritised so the list shows a meaningful cross-section rather than only the most common type. Each entry shows the official Sites and Monuments Record reference number and the description published by the National Monuments Service.
Crannog
Located in what is now the W arm of Ballyhoe Lough, which was a large subrectangular lough (dims c. 900m -1.2km E-W; c. 600-800m N-S) with a peninsula protruding from the S shore as represented on the 1836 edition of…
Located in what is now the W arm of Ballyhoe Lough, which was a large subrectangular lough (dims c. 900m -1.2km E-W; c. 600-800m N-S) with a peninsula protruding from the S shore as represented on the 1836 edition of the OS 6-inch map. When drainage on the Glyde or Lagan River lowered the level of the lake numerous artefacts were collected from the shores of the peninsula, and two crannogs, one of which is Tree Island were noted (Morant 1867; Woodmartin 1886, 193-5).
The peninsula has now divided the lake in two, and this feature, which is represented on the 1836 and 1908 editions as an island (dims c. 30m x c. 15m) is now almost attached to the shore at the SE angle of the W arm of the lake. From an inspection conducted by NMI in the 1960s it is known to be a crannog (NMI file), but it is not now accessible because of weed growth.
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: 31 August 2018
House – 16th/17th century
Situated on a N-S ridge. The tower house (ME003-017002-) has a number of associated walls to the SE of it. These are up to 1.3m thick and include the SE wall with a large fireplace that has a segmental arch and part of…
Situated on a N-S ridge. The tower house (ME003-017002-) has a number of associated walls to the SE of it. These are up to 1.3m thick and include the SE wall with a large fireplace that has a segmental arch and part of the SW wall of a house (int. dims c. 9m NE-SW; c. 5m plus NW-SE) but the house probably extended as far as the tower house originally (dim. c. 20m NW-SE). The SW wall has a blocked round-headed doorway and a broken out garderobe chute, while in the NE wall (Wth 0.5m) that is probably not original is a segmental-arched doorway. The house is probably 16th or 17th century in date.
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 revised upload: 10 June 2016
Castle – tower house
A roofless gabled structure with a central tower or porch is depicted at Newstonne (89) in Drumcondrath parish on the Down Survey (1656-8) barony map of Slane (http://downsurvey.tcd.ie/). According to the Civil Survey…
A roofless gabled structure with a central tower or porch is depicted at Newstonne (89) in Drumcondrath parish on the Down Survey (1656-8) barony map of Slane (http://downsurvey.tcd.ie/). According to the Civil Survey (1654-6) the Lord of Slane owned 184 acres there in 1640 and on the premises was ‘one castle, one stone house and one decayed chappell’ (Simington 1940, 386). He owned almost the entire parish (ibid. 365-9). It is situated on a N-S ridge.
This is a square structure (ext. dims 9.35m NE-SW; 9.1m NW-SE) with a base-batter on the SW wall and a projecting tower (ext. dims 3.5m NE-SW; 3.5m NW-SE) attached to the W end of the NW wall. At the ground floor the projecting tower has two narrow lights and a double-splay light on the NE wall together with a broken out graderobe chute. The ground floor chamber (int. dims 6.8m NW-SE; 6m NE-SW) has a high NW-SE high barrel-vault with the original doorway in the SW wall, now blocked, and inserted doorways and windows in NE the wall. Evidence of a stairway is not identified and only the projecting tower survives over the vault where there is a garderobe with four slit windows, two of them breaching corners, and it has a NE-SW barrel-vault. Outside the garderobe chamber a doorway in the SW wall of the tower accesses a newel stairs, now blocked, that rose over the garderobe chamber. The house (ME003-017001-) is adjacent to the SE.
The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meat…
Architectural fragment
Some dressed and decorated stones from the tower house (ME003-017002-) or later house (ME003-017001-) are built into the present farmhouse.
Compiled by: Michael Moore
Date of upload: 13 May, 2016
Ecclesiastical enclosure
Situated in a low-lying position on a gently undulating landscape. A circular grass-covered area (diam. c. 70m) defined by a low earthen bank is visible on an aerial photograph (L. Swan). The circular head of a high…
Situated in a low-lying position on a gently undulating landscape. A circular grass-covered area (diam. c. 70m) defined by a low earthen bank is visible on an aerial photograph (L. Swan). The circular head of a high cross (H 0.42m; Wth 0.22m) with a solid ring (diam. 0.28m; T 7.5cm) and a crucifixion on one side, which had been found in ploughing in a field adjoining a field known as ‘the Church field’, was acquired by the National Museum of Ireland in 1978 (SMR file). (Harbison 1992, 1, 25)
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: 11 December, 2014
Bridge
Crossing over a SW-NE section of the River Dee, it is described as ‘The Yellow Ford’ bridge on the OS 6-inch maps. A bridge between the churches of Loughbrackan and Siddan is depicted on the Down Survey county and…
Crossing over a SW-NE section of the River Dee, it is described as ‘The Yellow Ford’ bridge on the OS 6-inch maps. A bridge between the churches of Loughbrackan and Siddan is depicted on the Down Survey county and barony maps (1655-8), and what is called Aboybridge on the River Garvey between Loughbrackan and Siddan is described as broken in the Civil Survey (1655) (Simington 1940, 360). The bridge (Wth 7.4m) is aligned NW-SE and is level but it was widened by adding to the original SW side (4.7m). It has five arches, one on the SE bank (Wth 2.6m) and two on the NW bank, while two arches take the flow. There is no evidence of ancient masonry as the piers in the river were strengthened and the underside of the arches was rendered in 1932.
Compiled by: Michael Moore
Date of upload: 26 October 2018
House – 17th/18th century
Situated in a low-lying landscape and c. 400m W of Siddan church (ME006-056001). According to the Civil Survey (1655) in 1640 Walter Evers owned 172 acres at Bingerstown where there was a stone house and a mill, both…
Situated in a low-lying landscape and c. 400m W of Siddan church (ME006-056001). According to the Civil Survey (1655) in 1640 Walter Evers owned 172 acres at Bingerstown where there was a stone house and a mill, both described as wasted (Simington 1940, 360). The house mentioned is unlikely to be this structure that is possibly late seventeenth century in date at the earliest. The house is depicted on Taylor and Skinner’s map of the roads of Ireland (1793) when it was owned by a family called Adams (Andrews 1969, 260). It is depicted as roofed on the 1836 edition of the OS 6-inch map, and in Griffith’s Valuation (1848-64) it was leased by a Patrick McGuinness from James Shiels, who was himself the lease-holder of c. 30 acres in Benjerstown from Eliza Adams. Eliza owned about half the townland and lived in a house, now gone, c. 150m to the E on the S side of the road. For the Griffith valuation see this web-page accessed on 18/09/2018: http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml
The two storey late seventeenth century or early eighteenth century house was recorded in 1984 as a rectangular structure (ext. dims 15.5m N-S; 6.75m E-W) with one doorway and six tall window openings at the ground floor on the E side and a single light and a blocked doorway on the W wall. The E doorway led into the central of three rooms but only those to N and S have round-backed fireplaces with some brick in the gable walls. The walls were 0.6m thick and the joists for the firs…
Fortification
Situated on top of Gun Hill, it is described in gothic lettering as ‘Cromwell’s Battery’ on the OS 6-inch maps. It consists of a raised rectangular and grass-covered platform (dims 45m NW-SE; 23m NE-SW) defined by…
Situated on top of Gun Hill, it is described in gothic lettering as ‘Cromwell’s Battery’ on the OS 6-inch maps. It consists of a raised rectangular and grass-covered platform (dims 45m NW-SE; 23m NE-SW) defined by scarps (H 1m at SW to 2.5m at NE). The scarp of its NW edge continues S accompanied by slight traces of an outer fosse while curving E until it is truncated by a N-S field bank and double ditch (total Wth c. 10m) that also cuts through the platform. The curving scarp (H 1.4m) with an entrance gap (Wth 8m) at one point creates a D-shaped enclosure (dims 92m N-S; 28m E-W) with the N-S field bank. The rectangular platform may have been a gun-platform commanding the road from Athboy to Ardee which ran through Siddan. Archaeological monitoring (99E0725) of the removal of a pole produced no related material (Russell 2000, 2002).
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.
Revised by: Michael Moore
Date of revision: 26 October 2018
Amended: 15 December 2022
Linear earthwork
Extending NW-SE over a small drumlin. It is not known on what basis the designation is made, or how extensive the feature is. The townland boundary between Siddan to the SW and Woodtown Upper and Polecastle to the NE is…
Extending NW-SE over a small drumlin. It is not known on what basis the designation is made, or how extensive the feature is. The townland boundary between Siddan to the SW and Woodtown Upper and Polecastle to the NE is described as ‘The Pale Ditch’ in gothic lettering only on the 1908 edition of the OS 6-inch map. At the NW end where it meets a WNW-ESE road a double ditch (Wth 2.7m; H 1.6m) extends SE (L c. 480m) over a low drumlin to where it meets the road again. From its SE point it might continue S (L c. 1km) over Gun Hill to the small E-W stream at Siddan. From its NW end it could continue to the River Dee at the Yellow Ford Bridge (L c. 800m). It appears to be no more than a strong townland boundary of no particular significance.
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.
Revised by: Michael Moore
Date of revision: 30 October 2018
Barrow – mound barrow
Situated on a low hill. This is a grass-covered mound (diam. of base 15m; NW-SE; H 1.4-1.9m) with a fairly flat top (diam. 7m E-W) and a rather square base (diam. 23m NW-SE) caused by plough scarps (H 1.2-2m), which…
Situated on a low hill. This is a grass-covered mound (diam. of base 15m; NW-SE; H 1.4-1.9m) with a fairly flat top (diam. 7m E-W) and a rather square base (diam. 23m NW-SE) caused by plough scarps (H 1.2-2m), which increases the apparent height (H 2.5-3m).
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.
Revised by: Michael Moore
Date of revision: 26 October 2018
Memorial stone
An irregular shaped carved stone (max. Wth 0.58m; H 0.7m; T 0.24m) aligned NE-SW and set into the ground on the E-side of a NNE-SSW land and c. 10m from the border with Co. Louth. It has a socket at the top of it. The…
An irregular shaped carved stone (max. Wth 0.58m; H 0.7m; T 0.24m) aligned NE-SW and set into the ground on the E-side of a NNE-SSW land and c. 10m from the border with Co. Louth. It has a socket at the top of it. The letters C-C-A-F-C-M are carved on the upper part and the date 1624 engraved below. It appears to be constructed of two parts, the carvings are on a relatively smooth surfaced stone and this is set on a coarse base.
Compiled by: Claire Breen
Date of upload: 10 December 2013
Hilltop enclosure
Located at the crest of the NE-facing slope of a prominent but short NE-SW ridge (L c. 230m) with wide views out in all directions, particularly over the complex of prehistoric monuments at Slieve Breagh c. 700m to the…
Located at the crest of the NE-facing slope of a prominent but short NE-SW ridge (L c. 230m) with wide views out in all directions, particularly over the complex of prehistoric monuments at Slieve Breagh c. 700m to the E. This is not depicted as an antiquity on any map but the townland boundary between Rathbranchurch to the N and Creewood to the S describes a prominent arc ESE-S-NW on the 1836 and 1908 editions of the OS 6-inch map. This is a subcircular grass-covered area (dims 90m NW-SE; 80m NE-SW) defined by the townland boundary ESE-W-NW. This perimeter incorporates the highest point of the ridge at SW and is a grass-covered earthen bank (Wth of base 3m; int. H 1.5m) rising up from the interior with a stone-facing on the outside. The perimeter of the enclosure is provided by the slight dip of a fosse (Wth c. 6m; D 0.2m) NW-ESE.
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: 3 August 2022
Barrow – ditch barrow
Located on a shelf towards the top of a NE-facing slope, and c. 50m NE of the hilltop enclosure (ME013-037—-). This feature is not depicted on any map but is faintly visible on vertical aerial images (GSIAP: N 735,…
Located on a shelf towards the top of a NE-facing slope, and c. 50m NE of the hilltop enclosure (ME013-037—-). This feature is not depicted on any map but is faintly visible on vertical aerial images (GSIAP: N 735, 736) from the 1970s and the field bank and townland boundary with Cereewood curves around the perimeter at SE. It is a sunken grass-covered area (diam. c. 42m) with a slight mound (diam. c. 20m; H 0.2m) at the centre that is surrounded by a wide fosse (Wth of top c. 10m; ext. D 0.4m). It has no external bank and an entrance is not identified.
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: 8 August 2022
Barrow – bowl-barrow
Slieve Breagh is an ENE-WSW ridge (L of summit c. 500m) that is part of an NE-SW line of hills which extends from Rathkenny, Co. Meath almost to Dunleer, Co. Louth (L c. 15km). There are a number of summit ridges with…
Slieve Breagh is an ENE-WSW ridge (L of summit c. 500m) that is part of an NE-SW line of hills which extends from Rathkenny, Co. Meath almost to Dunleer, Co. Louth (L c. 15km). There are a number of summit ridges with high cols between them. Breagh is derived from Brega (the heights) which is also the name of the Meath territory. The E end of this summit and much of its S face in Creewood townland is now reclaimed pasture but the remainder in Rathbranchurch is unchanged from the 1836 edition of the OS 6-inch map and preserves a collection of earthwork monuments consisting mostly of barrows and a few raths as well as some hut-sites that were recorded in the 1950s (de Paor and Ó h-Eochaidhe 1956).
The earthworks sometimes impinge on each other, but as the area is now largely overgrown with furze it is not possible to examine them closely to tease out any sequence of monument construction. This feature (No. 22) is located in uncultivated land at the highest point of the summit ridge and could be the primary barrow. It is a grass and scrub-covered mound (diam. of base 18m; H 2-2.5m) surrounded by a fosse (Wth of base 1-3m; ext. D 0.2m at NE to 1m at SE) and a slight outer bank (ext. H 0.2-0.5m). The S edge of the fosse and bank are truncated by the ENE-WSW field bank and townland boundary between Rathbranchurch and Creewood (max. ext. diam. 28m NE-SW). (de Paor and Ó h-Eochaidhe 1956 101, No. 22)
This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National M…
Hillfort
Aerial photograph (GB92.FD.37) shows cropmark of circular enclosure (diam. c. 100-110m) defined by the remains of a bank and an external ditch feature. A small circular enclosure is located at the centre of the…
Aerial photograph (GB92.FD.37) shows cropmark of circular enclosure (diam. c. 100-110m) defined by the remains of a bank and an external ditch feature. A small circular enclosure is located at the centre of the enclosure, possibly a ring-ditch or house site. Located on the summit of Drumran Hill. It is mainly plough-levelled, but low-level earthworks may survive in the north-western segment of the enclosure and in the western segment. The enclosure is bisected by two modern field boundaries. It can also be seen on the OSI aerial images (2005).
Compiled by: Geraldine Stout
Date of upload: 23 February 2010
Road – road/trackway
Located on the E-facing slope of the hill that has the motte and bailey (ME006-010—-) at its summit. Aerial photographs (GB92.FD. 03 and 05), taken in September 1982, show a series of linear banks forming what might…
Located on the E-facing slope of the hill that has the motte and bailey (ME006-010—-) at its summit. Aerial photographs (GB92.FD. 03 and 05), taken in September 1982, show a series of linear banks forming what might be a road ascending the hill on the S side of a WNW-ESE current field bank. The road (L c. 140m; Wth 13-22m) is between the field bank and a grass-covered earthen bank (Wth 3m; H 0.8m) on the S side. There is a gap (Wth 10m) about the middle of the S bank where the relict banks turn S. Field system (ME006-010002-) is in the field to the N.
Compiled by: Geraldine Stout & Michael Moore
Date of upload: 22 October 2018
Field system
Located on the E-facing slope of the hill that has the motte and bailey (ME006-010—-) at its summit. An aerial photograph (GB92.FD. 05), taken in September 1992, shows three large roughly rectangular fields (dims c.…
Located on the E-facing slope of the hill that has the motte and bailey (ME006-010—-) at its summit. An aerial photograph (GB92.FD. 05), taken in September 1992, shows three large roughly rectangular fields (dims c. 100m NE-SW; c. 90-140m NW-SE) defined by broad scarps curving N-E-S descending the slope from the motte and on the N side of the road (ME006-010001-) and on the N side of a current WNW-ESE field bank and covers an area of about 15 acres (c. 6ha).
Compiled by: Geraldine Stout and Michael Moore
Date of revised upload: 22 October, 2018
Graveslab
In the graveyard of Killary church (ME012-020—-) is a rectangular graveslab (dims 1.91m x 1.01m; T 0.1m) with a panel (dims 0.71m x 0.71m) depicting symbols of mortality – a coffin, a skull and cross-bones with a…
In the graveyard of Killary church (ME012-020—-) is a rectangular graveslab (dims 1.91m x 1.01m; T 0.1m) with a panel (dims 0.71m x 0.71m) depicting symbols of mortality – a coffin, a skull and cross-bones with a heart between them, a bell and an hour-glass. Its incised inscription is illegible, but it might be late 17th century in date.
See attached image.
Compiled by: Michael Moore
Date of upload: 7 August, 2014
Mausoleum
Attached to the N wall of the chancel of the parish church of Killary (ME012-020—-) there is a corbelled mausoleum (ext. dims 5.15m N-S; 4.5m E-W) that was added to its N face. It has a double-splay window (Wth 0.3m;…
Attached to the N wall of the chancel of the parish church of Killary (ME012-020—-) there is a corbelled mausoleum (ext. dims 5.15m N-S; 4.5m E-W) that was added to its N face. It has a double-splay window (Wth 0.3m; H 0.68m) in the E wall. The lintelled doorway (Wth 0.75m; H 1.58m) with a dressed sandstone surround has a dedication to Patrick Russell of Mitchelstown dated 1818, but this is an insertion onto an older structure.
Compiled by: Michael Moore
Date of upload: 7 August, 2014
Bullaun stone
Located at the crest of the W-facing slope of a drumlin. A small bullaun stone that was in the graveyard (ME003-001001-) of Ardagh church (ME003-001—-) in 1984 is now missing.
Compiled by: Michael Moore
Date of…
Located at the crest of the W-facing slope of a drumlin. A small bullaun stone that was in the graveyard (ME003-001001-) of Ardagh church (ME003-001—-) in 1984 is now missing.
Compiled by: Michael Moore
Date of upload; 10 December, 2014
Cross
Located at the crest of the S-facing slope of a drumlin and on the N side of a NW-SE laneway. The crude base of a cross or a boulder (dims 0.6m x 0.45m; H c. 0.4m) supporting a stoup (dims c. 0.28m x 0.28m; H 0.28m)…
Located at the crest of the S-facing slope of a drumlin and on the N side of a NW-SE laneway. The crude base of a cross or a boulder (dims 0.6m x 0.45m; H c. 0.4m) supporting a stoup (dims c. 0.28m x 0.28m; H 0.28m) that was in the laneway to the S of the graveyard (ME003-001001-) is now missing.
Compiled by: Michael Moore
Date of upload: 10 December, 2014
Enclosure – large enclosure
Situated on a slight rise in a low-lying landscape, with small old lake beds just to the E (diam. c. 270m) and N (diam. c. 150m). The location is within a curve of the N foothills of the ENE-WSW Slieve Breagh ridge…
Situated on a slight rise in a low-lying landscape, with small old lake beds just to the E (diam. c. 270m) and N (diam. c. 150m). The location is within a curve of the N foothills of the ENE-WSW Slieve Breagh ridge E-S-W. The cropmark or soilmark of a large enclosure that appears to have numerous wide enclosing banks is visible on Digital Globe (2011-13) and Google Earth (07/05/2017; 16/05/2018; 14/05/2020; 04/03/2022). It appears to consist of a platform (diam. c. 30m) separated by a fosse (Wth c. 10m) from an earthen bank (Wth c. 20m) that is surrounded by an outer fosse (Wth c. 15m) and possibly a second outer bank (Wth c. 15-20m). An entrance through the banks and fosses cannot be detected (max. ext. diam. c. 150m). It may be a large barrow and it was first reported by Rob O’Hara.
See the attached images from _01 Digital Globe (2011-13), _02 Google Earth (07/05/2017); _03 MapGenie 2005-13; _05 Google Earth (04/03/2022)
Compiled by: Michael Moore
Date of upload: 8 May 2023
Moated site
Located towards the top of an E-facing slope. It is depicted as a small rectangular field at the S angle of a larger rectangular field only on the 1908 edition of the OS 6-inch map. This is a rectangular grass-covered…
Located towards the top of an E-facing slope. It is depicted as a small rectangular field at the S angle of a larger rectangular field only on the 1908 edition of the OS 6-inch map. This is a rectangular grass-covered area (dims 26m NW-SE; 25m NE-SW) defined by wide, flat-bottomed fosses or moats (Wth of top 8.3-12.5m; int. D 0.8-1.2m; ext. D 1.2-1.8m). A NE-SW field bank runs through the SE moat and a NW-SE field bank runs through the SW moat. There is no identifiable original entrance.
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: 5 September 2018
Font (present location)
The font from Loughbrackan church (ME006-028—-) is now outside the Roman Catholic church at Drumcondra. It is a circular block of sandstone (ext. diam. 0.55m; H 0.33m) with a flat-bottomed basin (int. diam. 0.43m; D…
The font from Loughbrackan church (ME006-028—-) is now outside the Roman Catholic church at Drumcondra. It is a circular block of sandstone (ext. diam. 0.55m; H 0.33m) with a flat-bottomed basin (int. diam. 0.43m; D 0.16-0.19m). Three lugs (max. Wth 9cm; L 21cm; H 5cm) of an original four survive, and about a quarter of the basin wall is missing. Two small holes on the rim at opposite points provided a fastening for the cover.
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/revision: 6 May 2015
Ringfort – rath
Located towards the top of the SE-facing spine of a NW-SE drumlin ridge. A large embanked circular enclosure (ext. diam. c. 80m) is depicted on the 1836 edition of the OS 6-inch map where it is described in gothic…
Located towards the top of the SE-facing spine of a NW-SE drumlin ridge. A large embanked circular enclosure (ext. diam. c. 80m) is depicted on the 1836 edition of the OS 6-inch map where it is described in gothic lettering as a ‘Fort’, and it is suggested by a curve in a field bank SE-W-NW on the 1908 edition. This is a circular grass-covered area (int. diam. 48m N-S) defined by a slight scarp at S and a fosse suggested by lush growth (Wth 5m) at N, and there is a slight curve in the field bank SSW-WNW. The outline is visible on the OSI aerial images (1995) (OSAP).
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: 5 September 2018
Listed buildings
The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) is a state survey appraising buildings of architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social, or technical interest. Each surveyed structure receives a rating from International (the highest, for buildings of European importance) through National, Regional, Local, and Record-Only.
The NIAH records only 30 listed buildings in Slane Lower, the 13th percentile across ROI baronies — a relatively thin architectural record. All recorded buildings carry Regional or lower grading; the barony does not contain any structures appraised as being of National or International architectural importance. Construction dates concentrate most heavily in the Early Georgian (1700-1800) period. The most-recorded building type is milestone/milepost (7 examples, 23% of the listed stock).
Terrain and environment
Mean elevation across the barony is 69m — the 31st percentile among 280 ROI baronies for elevation. This means it is in the bottom third of all baronies for elevation. Elevation matters for heritage because higher-altitude baronies typically favour defensive monuments — ringforts and hilltop forts placed on prominent ground — while lowland baronies are more likely to carry the dense settlement and church networks of intensive agricultural landscapes. A maximum elevation of 226m gives the barony meaningful vertical relief. Mean slope is 4.6° — the 70th percentile among 280 ROI baronies for slope. This means it is in the top third of all baronies for slope. Slope is a key control on both land use and archaeological preservation: steep ground resists ploughing and tends to preserve earthworks intact, while gentle slopes favour intensive cultivation that damages or destroys surface archaeology over time. The Topographic Wetness Index averages 10.3, the 28th percentile among 280 ROI baronies for wetness. This means it is in the bottom third of all baronies for wetness. Drainage matters for heritage because poorly-drained ground preserves organic archaeology (wooden trackways, leather, textiles, and on rare occasions human remains) far better than free-draining soil; well-drained ground favours arable use but destroys organic material rapidly. The land-cover mosaic combines improved grassland (83%), woodland (9%), and arable farmland (6%), giving a mixed agricultural and semi-natural landscape.
Terrain measurements
Where this barony sits in the Republic of Ireland
Geology and preservation
Bedrock geology shapes the landscape long before any settlement begins — controlling soil drainage, agricultural potential, the survival of upstanding monuments, and the preservation of buried archaeology. The figures below come from the Geological Survey Ireland 1:100,000 bedrock map.
The bedrock underlying Slane Lower is predominantly limestone (40% of the barony by area), laid down during the Carboniferous period (59% by area, around 359 to 299 million years ago). Limestone is the most heritage-rich bedrock in Ireland. It supports fertile, well-drained soils that favoured dense Early Medieval settlement and Norman manorial agriculture, and it weathers into karst features — sinkholes, caves, swallow holes, and souterrains — that frequently carry archaeology. Where peat overlies limestone, organic preservation can be exceptional. A substantial secondary geology of greywacke (21%) and greywacke, mudstone (18%) adds further variety to the underlying landscape. The single largest mapped unit is the Fingal Group (25% of the barony's bedrock).
Rock type composition
Largest mapped unit: Fingal Group (25% of the barony)
Placename evidence
Logainm records 16 heritage-diagnostic placenames for Slane Lower, drawn from townland and civil-parish names across the barony. The dominant stratum is pre-Christian and Early Medieval defensive — ráth-, lios-, dún-, and caiseal-prefixed names that mark Iron Age and early historic settlement. The leading diagnostic roots are ráth- (8 — earthen ringfort), cill- (4 — church), and sián- (2 — fairy mound). This is below the ROI average of 30.7 heritage placenames per barony, suggesting either lighter survey coverage or a townland-naming tradition that draws more on generic landscape vocabulary. The presence of multiple heritage strata side by side indicates layered occupation of the landscape across successive prehistoric and historic periods. Logainm records 88 placenames for Slane Lower (predominantly townland names). Of these, 16 (18%) carry one of the diagnostic Gaelic roots tracked above; the remainder draw on more generic landscape vocabulary that does not encode a heritage period.
Pre-Christian / Early Medieval Defensive
| Root | Count | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ráth- | 8 | earthen ringfort |
| lios- | 1 | ringfort or enclosure |
Early Christian Ecclesiastical
| Root | Count | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| cill- | 4 | church (early) |
| teampall- | 1 | church (later medieval) |
Burial, Ritual, and Norse-Contact
| Root | Count | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| sián- | 2 | fairy mound |
Other baronies in Meath
- Navan Lower
- Ratoath
- Slane Upper
- Lune
- Navan Upper
- Fore
- Moyfenrath Lower
- Bantry — Wexford
- Offaly East — Kildare
- Rathdown — Dublin
See all 280 baronies in the Republic of Ireland Heritage Tool.
Explore further
Grounding History: 10 Maps of Northern Ireland’s Past
If you’re interested in Irish heritage more widely, the companion report for Northern Ireland brings together the analysis of all 462 NI wards into one place through 10 high-quality maps — covering monument density, archaeological periods, placename heritage, terrain, wetland, and the historic landscape at first survey. Take a look.
About this profile
Click any section below to expand.
What is a barony?
A barony is a historic administrative unit in Ireland, broadly equivalent to an English hundred. The 280 baronies used here are from the OSi 2019 National Statutory Boundaries (generalised 20m), covering the 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland. Baronies derive from the Norman period, were formalised in the 17th century, and have not been redrawn for statistical purposes. They vary enormously in area, from compact urban baronies in Dublin to vast upland baronies in Connacht, and should not be compared by raw site count without accounting for area differences.
What counts as a site?
This profile combines three distinct heritage registers, each with its own definition of what constitutes a recordable site:
- Archaeological sites (NMS). The National Monuments Service Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) catalogues every known archaeological monument or site of archaeological interest in the Republic, from prehistoric burial mounds and ringforts to medieval churches and post-medieval defensive works. Inclusion does not require legal protection — only that the site has been identified, surveyed, and assessed as having archaeological value. A separate subset of these sites lies within a recorded protection zone, which gives them statutory protection under the National Monuments Acts.
- Listed buildings (NIAH). The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage records buildings of architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social, or technical interest. Each surveyed structure is appraised on a five-tier scale: International, National, Regional, Local, and Record-Only. The NIAH appraisal is informational rather than strictly statutory, but it underpins local-authority Record of Protected Structures (RPS) listings.
- Heritage placenames (Logainm). Logainm is the authoritative database of Irish placenames maintained by the Placenames Branch. This profile applies a heritage-diagnostic classifier to the Irish-language form of each townland name, flagging roots that signal defensive sites (ráth-, lios-, dún-, caiseal-, cathair-), ecclesiastical foundations (cill-, teampall-, domhnach-, mainistir-), prehistoric burial-ritual features (tuaim-, carn-, leaba-), or Norse-contact settlement (gall-). Townlands without one of these diagnostic roots are not flagged here — they may still carry historical significance, but that significance is not encoded in the name itself.
Editorial principles
The narrative sections of this profile follow several explicit principles:
- Evidential. Every claim about this barony’s heritage character is anchored in the underlying register data. Where a site count, a placename count, or a percentile rank is cited, it is computed from the source datasets at export time, not estimated.
- Comparative. Counts and metrics are reported alongside their percentile rank against the other 279 ROI baronies. A barony with 50 ringforts in absolute terms could be unusually high or unusually low depending on its size and regional context; percentile ranking removes that ambiguity.
- Transparent on limits. Where a register has known coverage gaps, survey biases, or data-quality issues that affect this barony’s figures, the profile flags them rather than presenting the numbers as definitive.
- No interpretation beyond what the data supports. The narrative does not speculate about historical events, social dynamics, or cultural meaning beyond what the recorded heritage and placename evidence directly attests.
Data caveats and limits
- NMS Sites and Monuments Record is the product of survey campaigns conducted at different intensities across different counties and decades. Some baronies have been surveyed more thoroughly than others, and absolute counts should be read in that light. Sites destroyed by development before survey are typically not represented; sites in heavily forested or upland terrain are sometimes under-recorded.
- NIAH coverage is broadly complete for the Republic of Ireland but the survey was conducted on a rolling county-by-county basis, and the most recent appraisal date varies. Buildings demolished or substantially altered after their original survey may still appear in the register; conversely, recent buildings of merit may not yet have been appraised.
- Logainm classification applies a deliberately conservative pattern-matching approach to the Irish-language townland forms. The classifier prioritises true positives over recall: a townland may carry a heritage signal that the classifier doesn’t recognise, particularly where the diagnostic root has been heavily anglicised or where the townland name draws on a less common term. The 60,000+ townland records and ~9,800 classified placenames give a substantial signal at barony scale, but individual townland names should be checked against Logainm directly for definitive interpretation.
- Period attribution. The chronological distribution reflects only those NMS sites that carry a recognised period attribution in the source data. Sites listed as “Unknown” period are excluded from the dated subset.
- Boundary changes. Some baronies have undergone minor boundary adjustments since their 19th-century definition; the OSi 2019 generalised boundaries used here are the current statutory definition and may differ slightly from historical maps in border areas.
- Bedrock geology is mapped at 1:100,000 scale, which means local variation within a barony — small pockets of different rock type, mineral veins, alluvium overlying bedrock — is generalised. The dominant-system and rocktype figures are area-weighted, so a barony reading “70% Carboniferous limestone” may still contain small but archaeologically important pockets of older or younger rock. Around 3% of GSI polygons do not match the lexicon and contribute no rocktype or system attribution.
Data sources
- National Monuments Service — Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) https://data.gov.ie/dataset/national-monuments-service-archaeological-survey-of-ireland
- National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) https://data.gov.ie/dataset/national-inventory-of-architectural-heritage-niah-national-dataset
- Logainm — Placenames Database of Ireland https://www.logainm.ie/
- Ordnance Survey Ireland — National Statutory Barony Boundaries 2019 https://data-osi.opendata.arcgis.com/
- EURODEM — European Digital Elevation Model https://www.mapsforeurope.org/datasets/euro-dem
- ESA WorldCover https://esa-worldcover.org/en
- Geological Survey Ireland — 1:100,000 Bedrock Geology https://www.gsi.ie/en-ie/data-and-maps/Pages/Bedrock.aspx
Explore more: Search any of the 280 ROI baronies, browse by historical province, or read the methodology and data sources for the full Republic of Ireland Heritage Tool.