County: Westmeath Site name: FARTHINGSTOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A001/084
Author: John Tierney, Eachtra Archaeological Projects, Ballycurreen Industrial Estate, Kinsale Road, Cork.
Site type: Possible hearth
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 646394m, N 739102m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.400030, -7.302359
Excavations were undertaken in advance of realignment of the N6, between Kinnegad and Kilbeggan, Co. Westmeath, in 2004 (Excavations 2004, No. 1748, 04E0908). Farthingstown 10 was one of six areas of archaeological potential uncovered in Farthingstown townland, near the western end of the scheme.
Initial test-trenching identified a possible hearth in this area. It was located c. 50m west of a series of linear ditches excavated at Farthingstown 9 (see No. 1546 above, A001/083). A 10m by 10m area was reopened in January 2005, centred on the location of the burnt area. A number of decaying stone deposits, darkened possibly by the presence of manganese oxide within the excavated area, were uncovered, but neither the hearth nor any in situ burning were located.
