2010:797 - Mountgeorge 7, Wexford

Mountgeorge 7 was located on the proposed M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy scheme. The site was situated in tillage.
The site was dominated by a possible cereal-drying kiln, of figure-of-eight shape, with sharp break of slope at the top, concave sides and a generally flat base. This feature was 5m long (north-east to south-west), 2.2–2.8m wide and 0.45m deep, with a possible drying chamber at the south-west end, a central flue, and a firing chamber at the opposite end.
The basal fill was a firm, medium, light-brown, mottled with light-grey sandy clay with frequent small angular stones, deposited across the base of the drying chamber, flue and firing chamber. Some patches of in situ burning were noted underneath this deposit. Another basal fill was recorded at the north edge of the firing chamber: a loose, medium grey sandy clay with frequent inclusions of stones. The overlying deposit lay within the drying chamber and consisted of possible collapsed stone lining, tightly packed at the south-west end of the feature, and comprised loose, red/brown sandy clay with frequent, mostly medium-sized, stones with occasional charcoal and burnt clay. Fragments of pottery were recovered from this deposit, which may be associated with activity within the kiln. Above this deposit and mostly located in the firing chamber, forming the main fill, and partially extended into the drying chamber was a firm, partly brittle, mottled white/yellow, light to medium grey sandy clay with occasional moderate charcoal flecks and mostly angular stones, and very occasional pieces of orange burnt clay. This deposit was overlain with a firm, mottled dark-brown/grey and red/orange sandy clay with moderate to frequent charcoal pieces and flecks and occasional small stones deposited across the northern edge of the kiln. Fragments of pottery were recovered from this deposit. Two upper fills were recorded. One was located along the area of the central flue, and consisted of firm but loose mottled white/yellow and dark-grey/black slightly clayish sand with moderate to frequent inclusions of very small stones. Another upper deposit mostly filled a depression located immediately south-east of the firing chamber and comprised firm, mottled medium to dark-brown and black sandy clay with frequent decayed stones, frequent to moderate angular stones and rare charcoal flecks.
Three possible pits or truncated post-holes were located in a roughly north-east to south-west alignment, south-east of the firing chamber. These features may relate to activity within the kiln such as a windbreak. These features had different shapes and profiles and measured approximately 0.4m in diameter and 0.10–0.21m deep.