2004:0215 - GORTNAHOMNA BEG/LISMALAGHLIN, Castlemartyr, Cork

Planning permission was granted for a housing development to the east of the village of Castlemartyr, Co. Cork. A condition of planning required monitoring of all subsurface excavation and topsoil removal. Topsoil-stripping of Phase 1 was carried out in April 2003 (Excavations 2003, No. 197) and Phases 2 and 3 were monitored during March and July 2004 under an extension to this licence. During Phase 3, in July 2004, a kiln feature was excavated. It comprised two circular pits linked by a flue. The northern pit was circular (diam. 1.4m by 0.45m deep) and stone- lined. The southern pit was subcircular (diam. c. 1.2m by 0.3m deep) and unlined, but the sides were oxidised. Both were filled with black charcoal-enriched soil with medium-sized limestone fragments. The connecting flue (3m long by 0.4m wide by 0.4m deep) was stone-lined, with a lintel stone at its mid-point. In situ burning was evident only to the south of the lintel. It is possible that this is a corn-drying kiln reused as a limekiln.

AE House, Monahan Road, Cork