County: Westmeath Site name: STONEHOUSEFARM (4)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A001/076
Author: Conor McDermott, Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit (IAWU), for Cultural Resource Development Services Ltd.
Site type: Hearth
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 633743m, N 734266m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.357532, -7.493103
The site was identified during testing on the N6 Kinnegad–Kilbeggan dual carriageway (04E0579, No. 1246, Excavations 2004) 48m to the south of the centre-line at Chainage 29831. It was located on the south-facing slope of a glacial ridge rising towards a plateau. Following mechanical stripping, an area of 121m2 in advance of excavation, the site was exposed as a hearth pit, three possible post-holes, three ambiguous pits and warren activity.
The hearth was a subcircular pit, 1.01m long, 0.82m wide and 0.17m deep, with rounded sides and a flat base. It was filled with silty-clay with frequent charcoal inclusions and a layer (0.06m) of oxidisation along the base and the northern edge, indicative of successive firings. It was located 3.6m west-southwest from three possible post-/stake-holes that formed a north-south arc 1.44m long. These were 0.18–0.23m long, 0.13–0.19m wide and 0.9–0.14m deep and were filled by a sandy silt with charcoal inclusions. The three ambiguous pits were thought to be indicative of modern disturbance, as suggested by the rabbit and badger activity in the area.
No finds were retained from the site, a fragment of brick was recovered from the topsoil and a fragment of clay pipe was recovered from the subsoil. A sample from the hearth has been selected for radiocarbon dating.
Unit 6, Dundrum Business Park, Dublin 12
