County: Westmeath Site name: HALLSFARM
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A001/051
Author: Liam Mckinstry, 9 Ballantyne Place, Steamboat Quay, Limerick, for Valerie J. Keeley Ltd.
Site type: Prehistoric burnt-stone spread and associated pits
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 633297m, N 733707m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.352538, -7.499860
The excavations at Site 1, Hallsfarm, were carried out in advance of the N6 Kilbeggan–Kinnegad road scheme. The site consisted of a main spread of burnt-stone material which measured c. 7.7m by 3.5m and was 0.1m deep. It was made up of mainly burnt stones mixed through grey clay with occasional charcoal. The spread covered three pits and a number of possible stake- and post-holes. The largest of the pits was subrectangular in shape. It measured 2.3m by 1.45m and had a depth of 0.65m. It had a number of fills, all of which contained varying amounts of burnt stone and charcoal.
To the immediate north-west of the burnt spread was a roughly curvilinear feature that contained three post-holes. To the north of the burnt spread two more pits were identified. One of them was subcircular and fairly shallow. The other was a large rectangular pit that measured 2m by 1.2m and had a depth of 0.3m. It contained two main fills. The upper fill was grey clay with occasional charcoal flecking and small pieces of burnt stone. The basal fill consisted of a thick layer of dark clay and charcoal. The natural into which the pit had been cut had patches of burning on the base and sides, which was evidence of burning in situ.
The site contained a number of other possible features, but these were heavily disturbed by root and agricultural activity.
