County: Westmeath Site name: Tonaphort
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A016/081; E3280
Author: Tim Coughlan, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 120B Greenpark Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow.
Site type: Possible kiln/furnace
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 632951m, N 734461m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.359334, -7.504977
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 April 2006. An excavation area measuring 35m by 25m was opened. The site consisted of three possible kilns or furnaces, all of which appeared to represent burning in situ and contained high quantities of charcoal within their fills. Their precise function is unclear. The cut of the first possible kiln was 2m long by 0.9m wide by 0.3m deep; the second possible kiln feature was 1.1m long by 0.64m by 0.26m deep, while the third was 1.6m long by 0.9m wide and 0.13m deep. The three possible kilns appear to have been too large to have functioned as metalworking furnaces and there was no evidence of slag in the vicinity. No finds were recovered during the process 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.
