County: Westmeath Site name: Kilbeg 8
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A016/087
Author: Ed Lyne, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 120B Greenpark Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow.
Site type: Limekiln
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 629399m, N 736361m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.376614, -7.558163
Testing was carried out as part of an archaeological mitigation programme associated with the N6 Kilbeggan to Athlone dual carriageway. The site was identified during testing undertaken by Patricia Lynch, IAC Ltd, in July 2005 (A016/029). The site was excavated in May 2006. An excavation area measuring 10m by 35m was opened.
The site at Kilbeg 8 consisted of a limekiln of good construction, built into the east-facing slope of a slight rise. The limekiln structure was c. 6.5m long by c. 4m wide and c. 3m deep. The scarped approach had been filled in with rubble and topsoil, but excavation showed that it had provided a well-landscaped symmetrical approach to the east-facing stone façade of the kiln. At the western end of this scarp a cylindrical or conical cut had then been dug, within which the brick furnace shaft was built. The stone façade or masonry casing and arched entrance had then been constructed in front of this, with a random rubble infill behind the cut stone façade of the wall. The construction of the kiln was quite fine. It seems to have been built and landscaped with a view to its being aesthetically pleasing, as well as being a functional structure within the farm or demesne. It seems likely that this limekiln would have belonged to a nearby estate in the 18th or 19th century, which would explain its scale and appearance. No finds were recovered during the course of the excavation.
This work was funded by Westmeath County Council and the National Roads Authority.
Editor’s note: Although excavated during 2006, the report on this site arrived too late for inclusion in the bulletin of that year.
