County: Meath Site name: HARDWOOD (3)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 02E1141
Author: Deirdre Murphy, ACS Ltd.
Site type: Kiln and Hearth
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 660706m, N 744665m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.448563, -7.086105
Test-trenching was carried out before construction 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 3 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 associated with early iron smelting were identified and excavated. They comprised one rectangular pit, measuring 2.8m by 1.15m, four bowl-shaped hearths, one deposit of slag pieces and three other pits. The rectangular pit was 0.27m deep and had sub-round corners. All of these features contained substantial inclusions of charcoal. At Ardnamullan 1 (No. 1412, Excavations 2002) and Hardwood 2 (No. 1465, Excavations 2002) similar features were excavated, also associated with extensive deposits of charcoal. 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.
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