2004:1655 - ADAMSTOWN (2), Waterford

The site at Adamstown 2 contained one kiln, a number of pits and post-holes and two linear field boundaries. The kiln was oval in shape, measured 1m by 0.6m and 0.15m in depth and had been filled with a dark-brown clay containing frequent inclusions of angular stone, charcoal flecks and oxidised clay. It does not appear that the kiln was surrounded by a house, as was the case in Adamstown 1: Area 1 (No. 1654, Excavations 2004). The surrounding pits and post-holes are likely to serve an associated industrial function. The two linear features measured a maximum of 0.6m in width and had been filled with a dark-brown clay containing frequent angular and round stones. A fragment of slag was recovered from both ditches. A fragment of a black lignite bracelet was also recovered from the site. The ditches are orientated north-south and are parallel to each other and to the existing field boundary to the west; they are likely to represent post-medieval field boundaries/systems.

Further topsoil-stripping was undertaken to the south and east, where additional archaeological features have been exposed.

Testing has also been conducted to the west of the site, where a number of additional trenches were excavated. A number of archaeological features, such as possible pits and post-holes, were exposed, suggesting that the site may extend further to the west and is concentrated to the low-lying southeastern corner of the field.

A second site at Adamstown 2 was also excavated under this licence. It was exposed during monitoring by Jonathan Dempsey of topsoil-stripping of the realigned Bord Gáis pipeline (Excavations 2003, No. 1857, 03E1064). A total of four pits and one large oval-shaped kiln were exposed.

Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth