County: Meath Site name: HARDWOOD (2)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E1140
Author: Deirdre Murphy, ACS Ltd.
Site type: Charcoal-making site
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 661226m, N 744536m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.447344, -7.078305
Test-trenching was carried out along the route of the proposed M4 Kinnegad–Enfield–Kilcock Motorway Scheme. During centre-line testing of the proposed route by Ian Russell in February 2002 (No. 1876, Excavations 2002, 02E0108), a number of possible archaeological features were identified. These were designated Hardwood 2 and were excavated in September 2002.
To resolve the site, a substantial area of ground within the road-take was stripped of peat and topsoil. A number of features were identified and excavated. They comprised three rectangular pits measuring on average 2m by 1.2m, a trapezoidal pit and a sub-round bowl-shaped pit. The rectangular pits tended to have rounded corners and had an average depth of 0.15m, although this measurement is probably not relevant owing to truncation of all features by recent deep ploughing. All of these pits contained substantial inclusions of charcoal. At Ardnamullan 1 (No. 1412, Excavations 2002) and Hardwood 3 (No. 1466, Excavations 2002) similar features were excavated and, particularly at Hardwood 3, were associated with extensive deposits of charcoal. Charcoal was the fuel used to smelt iron in the early smelting industry, and it is suggested that these rectangular pits were used as charcoal-burning kilns. Although the results of radiocarbon dating have not yet been received, it seems probable that the features date from a period between the Iron Age and the early medieval period. The site bears marked similarity to three other sites in the area: Hardwood 3, Griffinstown 3 (No. 1463, Excavations 2002) and Ardnamullan 1.
Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth
