Bán, a green field; and open, unfenced, wild place. 

Williamstown or Bawn: John O'Donovan.

Williamstown or Bawn: Rev. R. Thompson. 

This is a central townland.  It is bounded on the north by the parish of Navan.

It is bounded on the east by Kennastown townland.

It is bounded on the south by Bective parish and Farrenderry townland.

It is bounded on the west by the townlands of Macetown and Philpotstown.

It contains 265 acres 2 roods 13 perches statute measure, all under cultivation, and is the property of Col. Burton.  It is all let to Mr. William Allen of Carlile alias Clown (sic), who keeps it as a stock farm.  The soil is of a stiff yellow clay with a limestone bottom.  There are some fine young plantations, which appear to be in a thriving condition.  The road from Trim to Navan runs through the west side of this townland.

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Recent Excavations

http://www.excavations.ie/report/2004/Meath/0012481/
County: Meath   Site name: WILLIAMSTOWN OR BAWN, AND PHILPOTSTOWN
Excavations.ie number: 2004:1359        License number: 04E0576
Author: Aidan O'Connell, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd, Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth.
Site type: Testing
ITM: E 687032m, N 763620m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.615170, -6.684626

An assessment of Testing Area 3 in Contract 3 of the Clonee-North of Kells PPP scheme was undertaken on behalf of Meath County Council.  The proposed development consists of c. 880m of the mainline Navan bypass, extending westwards from the Kilcarn interchange, and c. 1.5km of the realigned R161 Trim road, which extends north-south from the bypass towards the middle of the testing area.  The testing methodology generally consisted of mechanically excavating 2m-wide test-trenches along the centre-line and perpendicular to the centre-line to the edge of the land-take every 20m.

A total of 116 test-trenches were excavated, representing 6187 linear metres. Three archaeological sites were recorded.

Williamstown 1 consists of a burnt mound and circular slot-trench at the eastern limit of the testing area.

Williamstown 2 contains the three troughs associated with burnt-mound activity, a burnt spread, two pits, a post-hole and a curvilinear ditch.  These features were spread across four discrete areas of activity.  Philpotstown 1 is the site of the two additional troughs that are located close together, which may be associated with further burnt-mound activity.