2006:2051 - Boreen Bradach, Kinnegad, Westmeath

This assessment follows on from an earlier assessment in May 2006, which was carried out within the western portion of the proposed development area by Fintan Walsh (see No. 2050 above). The initial assessment had identified a possible early medieval burial area and evidence of industrial activity within this portion of the proposed development site. Further testing was designed to assess the remaining eastern portion of the site and was carried out under an extension of the same licence on behalf of Westmeath County Council.
Test-trenching was carried out on 18–22 September using a 20-tonne tracked machine with a grading bucket. Twenty-eight test-trenches were excavated across the eastern section of the area of the proposed development at 10m intervals.
Approximately 58m from the southern end of Trench 2 and at the intersection of Trench 12, a possible kiln was exposed. The figure-of-eight-shaped kiln measured 2m by 0.8m. A 0.8m-deep band of charcoal was visible around the eastern edge of the cut. The uppermost fill of this feature comprised a heat-affected loose red silty sand. A possible smelting pit was exposed within Trench 13. The pit was circular in shape with a diameter of 0.6m. A band of oxidised clay which was 0.08m in thickness was visible around the circumference of the pit. The uppermost fill comprised a fire-reddened orange silty clay which contained very occasional coarse pebbles and frequent charcoal inclusions around the edge of the fill. One piece of glass slag was recovered from this layer. These features were similar to the industrial pits that are indicative of metalworking, located outside the limits of the burial-ground within the western portion of the proposed development area.