County: Tipperary Site name: DUNDRUM DEMESNE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: TI052–040, TI052–044, TI052–048–052, TI052–055 and TI052–056 Licence number: 06E0820
Author: Niall Gregory, Gregory Consultant Archaeology Ltd.
Site type: Hearth and Kiln - corn-drying
Period/Dating: Medieval (AD 400-AD 1600)
ITM: E 597548m, N 644743m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.554010, -8.036150
During the course of monitoring of groundworks in relation to developments at Dundrum House, which followed on from a series of test-trenches excavated as a condition of the planning permission, a number of features of archaeological interest were revealed. The previous investigations (Excavations 2005, No. 1426, 04E1688) had revealed a portion of a denuded ringfort, and the development was revised to preserve this in situ. During subsequent monitoring two features were exposed which lay to the north-west of the enclosure. The features comprised a hearth and a keyhole-shaped drying kiln, lying close to each other and probably related to agricultural processing of cereals.
The initial layer of the hearth feature comprised light-brown, loose silty clay with frequent inclusions of charcoal. This spread had maximum dimensions of 0.6m by 0.4m north–south and ranged in depth from 0.05m to 0.1m. Below was a thin layer of fire-reddened scorched natural soil. This layer was 0.17–0.2m in depth. The cut for this hearth comprised a set of conjoined irregular-shaped depressions. This feature is oriented north–south and has a shallow profile with an irregular bumpy interior surface. The sides of this cut were steeper on the east and western sides.
The kiln feature comprised six distinct deposits layered within the kiln bowl and flue, consisting of sandy silt, ash, charcoal, silty clay, charcoal and ash. A fill of stone lining the edge of the bowl complemented the cut for the bowl. The kiln was oriented east–west and measured 2.2m in total.
A further three cuts with their associated fills were also revealed close to these features. They consisted of a shallow linear feature, cut by a subsequent linear feature. Both had single uniform fills. A subrectangular pit with one fill (to a maximum depth of 0.5m) was also recorded close to the hearth and kiln.
There were no artefactual or other finds.
Dunburbeg, Clonmel Road, Cashel, Co. Tipperary
