County: Laois Site name: CAPPAKEEL 2
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 03E1048
Author: Jonathan Dempsey, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: Charcoal-making site and Hearth
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 655318m, N 704484m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.088083, -7.174196
Identified during monitoring of topsoil-stripping undertaken as part of the main construction phase of the M7 Heath–Mayfield Motorway Scheme (No. 1051, Excavations 2003, 03E0623), the features at Cappakeel 2 consisted of a charcoal-manufacturing kiln and a truncated hearth base.
The kiln was subrectangular with rounded corners, measuring 1.27m north–south by 0.97m by 90mm deep. This feature had two charcoal-rich fills, with areas of heavy oxidisation on the base. The possible hearth base was 20m south-south-east of the kiln. This feature was sub-oval with rounded corners and measured 0.35m north–south by 0.25m by 50mm deep. The sides were smooth and convex and the base sloped gently from north-north-east to south-south-west. The fill was heavily oxidised, with occasional fire-reddened stones and flecks of charcoal.
These features were probably associated with the archaeological complex resolved by Audrey Gahan (03E0603) and Ros Ó Maoldúin (No. 1063, Excavations 2003, 03E0633).
Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth
