County: Westmeath Site name: BALLYMORE: Low St.
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: Kieran Campbell
Site type: Kiln - lime
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 622446m, N 749023m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.490747, -7.661759
Testing and monitoring of foundations for a house within the 'Archaeological Zone' of the medieval borough of Ballymore Lough Sewdy took place on September 5. A pit, exposed in the trench on the east side of the house, was 2.1m in diameter and at least 0.4m deep under 0.3m of topsoil. The depth of the pit was not established as it lay below the required level of the trenches. The pit edge was oxidised to a brick-red colour and had a lining of white lime 20–30mm thick. The fill of the pit consisted of burnt limestone mixed with soil. A sherd of black-glazed earthenware of 18th-19th-century date was recovered from the fill.
The pit had obviously functioned as a small lime kiln. The outline when fully exposed by hand excavation was found to be circular with no sign of a rake-out or flues.
6 St Ultan's, Laytown, Drogheda, Co. Louth
