County: Westmeath Site name: Kilgaroan 6
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A016/074; E2702
Author: Patricia Lynch, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 120B Greenpark Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow.
Site type: Burnt spread
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 631786m, N 734730m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.361822, -7.522462
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 the writer in July 2005 (A016/029). The site was excavated in March 2006. An excavation area measuring 15m by 15m was opened.
The site consisted of a linear deposit of burnt-mound material that measured 7m long by 2m wide by 0.03–0.19m deep and consisted of charcoal-enriched soil that contained heat-shattered stones; this in turn overlay a mix of subsoil and burnt-mound material and was located in a shallow depression. There was no evidence of in situ burning. This feature continued outside the road-take and as a result was not excavated. A modern field drain bisected the cutting east–west and was located c. 3m to the south of the area of archaeological activity. No finds were recovered during 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.
