County: Westmeath Site name: KILTOTAN/COLLINSTOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A001/009
Author: John Tierney, Eachtra Archaeological Projects, Ballycurreen Industrial Estate, Kinsale Road, Cork.
Site type: Furnaces and field boundaries
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 644827m, N 745232m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.455246, -7.325052
Excavations were undertaken in advance of realignment of the N6, between Kinnegad and Kilbeggan, Co. Westmeath, in 2004 (Excavations 2004, No. 1748, 04E0908). Three sites were excavated in Kiltotan and Collinstown townland at the western end of the scheme (Kiltotan and Collinstown 12–14). Four obvious features were uncovered at Kiltotan and Collinstown 14 during the test excavation phase, two parallel ditches and two furnaces, and the site was reopened for excavation in early 2005.
The ditches were both relatively recent, and considered to be non-archaeological features. One included modern artefacts in its fill.
The furnaces were possibly early iron-smelting furnaces and were broadly similar to features uncovered at the other end of the road scheme in Monganstown townland (see No. 1575 below). In the north-west corner of the site (Area A) a small circular pit was excavated, measuring 0.47m in diameter and 0.15m deep. This had scorched red subsoil at its base and sides, indicating in situ burning. There were two fills with moderate slag and charcoal inclusions, indicating that the pit was used for metalworking, either smelting or smithing. In the south-east corner of the site (Area C) an oval furnace was excavated to the south of the ditch C.13 and was partially cut by it. The main fill of the furnace was a loose topsoil-like fill, probably a result of soil filling the hollow left after the furnace went out of use. Fill C.9 was a charcoal-rich layer sitting on the fire-reddened natural at the base and sides of the cut. This is indicative of burning having taken place within the furnace. The fills are similar to those excavated from the other furnace.
