County: Westmeath Site name: STONEHOUSEFARM (3)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A001/012
Author: Conor McDermott, Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit (IAWU), for Cultural Resource Development Services Ltd.
Site type: Charcoal-making site
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 633823m, N 734296m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.357796, -7.491899
This site was identified during testing on the N6 Kinnegad–Kilbeggan dual carriageway (04E0579, No. 1246, Excavations 2004), 51m south of the centre-line at Chainage 29895. It was situated to the north-west of a farmyard, halfway up a steep north-facing slope above an area of low-lying boggy land. An area of 360m2 was mechanically stripped around the features identified during testing to uncover the full extent of the site. This exposed the large subrectangular pit (Pit 1) identified during testing, a second smaller pit (Pit 2) 4.8m to the east of the first and nine agricultural furrows.
Pit 1 was a shallow feature located in the eastern half of the cutting and measured 1.9m long, 1m wide and 0.14m deep. Its original shape was probably oval, orientated north-west/south-east, but it was truncated to the east and west by two furrows. It was cut into the hill and was deeper at the southern end. It had an almost imperceptible break of slope at the top, with concave sides and a gradual break of slope at the bottom and an uneven, concave base. The base of the cut was a highly oxidised red natural. It contained a single fill of loose black charcoal with some sand, pebbles and stones, the lower levels of which were almost pure charcoal.
Pit 2 was a subrectangular cut orientated north-north-west/south-south-east. It measured 2.4m long north-south, 1.33m wide and up to 0.39m deep. It was cut into the hill and was deeper at the southern end. It had a sharp break of slope on top, with concave sides and a gradual break of slope at the bottom and a flat base. The base and sides of the cut were a highly oxidised red natural. This ranged from dark-red to pink in colour and was up to 0.04m in depth. The primary fill was loose black charcoal up to 0.18m in depth, extending up the sides of the pit and thicker and more friable at the northern end. A single large piece of charcoal retained a toolmark. The upper fill was silty clay up to 0.38m in depth with charcoal flecks.
No artefacts were recovered and a sample from the site has been selected for radiocarbon dating.
Unit 6, Dundrum Business Park, Dublin 12
