County: Kildare Site name: KILRATHMURRAY
Sites and Monuments Record No.: KD001-013 Licence number: 04E1181
Author: Linda Clarke, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: Metalworking site
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 666039m, N 742814m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.431287, -7.006236
This excavation was carried out between 28 July and 3 August 2004 following the recommendations of an assessment of the proposed Kilrathmurray borrow pit site by Donald Murphy (No. 844, Excavations 2004). The site extended over three fields and three features of archaeological significance were exposed in two of these fields during the assessment. These were a stone feature (F3) that represented the remains of a possible kiln, a spread associated with metalworking (F5) and an oxidised charcoal spread (F6) that represented the remains of a possible hearth.
Ten metres by 10m was stripped around F3, 10m by 15m was stripped around F5 and an area of 10m by 10m was stripped around F6. One additional feature of archaeological significance was identified close to F6. This was a bowl furnace. A portion of an old boundary ditch and an associated drain were also exposed; these were non-archaeological.
Four features of archaeological significance were identified. The most significant was located in Field 1 and was initially identified as the possible remains of a kiln. The remains consisted of a spread of rubble and the slight trace of a flue. Upon excavation, the remains of a limekiln were identified. The upper portion of this feature had collapsed, but the bowl of the kiln and a flue, defined by two walls, were also identified. The kiln was almost keyhole in shape. The pit (bowl) was almost circular in shape and had a diameter of 1.7m. It also survived to a maximum height of 1.25m. It would initially have been significantly higher, as up to 0.8m of rubble was removed before the upper stones of the bowl were uncovered.
The other three features of significance were identified within Field 3. These may all be linked. They consisted of a spread associated with metalworking, the truncated remains of a bowl furnace and the truncated remains of a hearth. This hearth may represent the remains of a smithing hearth and was in all likelihood used in conjunction with the bowl furnace.
Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth
