County: Kerry Site name: KNOCKAWADDRA MIDDLE 1
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E004294
Author: Tony Bartlett
Site type: Fulacht fiadh and a post-medieval limekiln
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 484627m, N 617639m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.298277, -9.691536
Excavations were undertaken at Knockawaddra Middle 1 on behalf of Kerry County Council as part of Stage (iii) of the Archaeological Services Contract prior to the commencement of construction of the N22 Tralee Bypass/Tralee to Bealagrellagh, which extends from Lissatanvally townland to Flemby townland. A total area of 2,207m² was exposed, revealing two phases of activity.
Phase I was characterised by fulacht fiadh activity. A possible trough was situated in the north-western part of the excavation area. It was oval in plan, measuring 1.8m long by 1.4m wide by 0.6m deep. The basal fill of this feature—which was 0.14m deep—consisted of mottled black silt with charcoal and heat-affected stone inclusions. The trough was overlain by the main spread of a burnt mound, measuring 5m by 3m by 0.5m deep. It consisted of typical burnt mound material of heat-affected stone and charcoal. A circular pit was cut into the mound and measured 1.43m in diameter and 0.33m in depth. It was filled by brownish-black sandy silt containing heat-affected stone and charcoal inclusions. There was a discrete spread of burnt material 12m to the south-east of the trough, possibly part of the original mound which had been disturbed.
The Phase II activity was represented by a post-medieval limekiln and associated pit. The kiln was subcircular in plan, 1.8m in diameter with a maximum depth of 0.27m. The sides of this feature were heavily oxidised—indicating that burning in situ had occurred—while the base was scored by two shallow ventilation channels that formed a cross shape. One of the channels adjoined a linear flue that extended from the north-western side of the kiln cut. This measured 0.35m in width and 0.3m in depth and had a maximum length of 1.8m, terminating at the south-eastern edge of the large pit.
The large pit measured 8m in length, 5m in width and 1.5m in depth and was irregular in plan and profile. Its seven fills contained heat-affected stone, charcoal and lime residue. A smaller pit truncated the southern side of the large pit. This feature was irregularly shaped and measured 3.5m by 2m by 0.27m deep. It was filled by dark brownish-black sandy silt with heat-affected stone and charcoal.
Rubicon Heritage Services Ltd, Unit 1, Wallingstown Business Park, Little Island, Cork
