County: Clare Site name: Shantraud, Killaloe
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 18E0062 EXT
Author: Colm Chambers
Site type: Post-medieval kiln
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 570198m, N 672761m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.805013, -8.441989
Trench one was opened to investigate a series of possible pits containing a charcoal-rich fill noted during testing in the south-western corner of the site. Archaeological investigation showed that this area contained a small stone-lined keyhole-shaped cereal-drying kiln (c.3.5m south-west to north-east by c.1.7m at the widest point in the drying chamber at the south-west end) and a related working area, which included a hearth, a charcoal-production pit, as well as a number of pits, stake-holes and linear features. The kiln was found to have been constructed on the surface of up-cast material from an adjacent mill race and a modern pottery sherd and clay pipe stem were recovered from within the kiln fills. The kiln and related features likely date to the post-medieval period and might be contemporaneous with a corn mill shown c.60m to the south on the 1st edition and 25-inch OS maps.
An earlier phase of activity was represented by a north to south linear feature, possibly an agricultural furrow or land drain, cutting through the natural subsoil directly below the up-cast material and kiln.
Trench two was opened to investigate an elongated keyhole-shaped feature, the morphology of which suggested it to be a kiln-type feature, noted during testing in the north-eastern corner of the site. This shallow earth-cut feature measured c.7.5m north-west to south-east by c.2m wide at the south-east end with a small drying chamber to the north-west. The fill contained a number of sherds of modern pottery. The feature was interpreted as dating to the post-medieval or early modern period. This kiln was likely in use at the same time as the corn mill formerly located to the south. A garden plot is shown within this area on both the 1st edition and 25-inch OS maps, and it is therefore probable that the kiln went out of use prior to the 1830s. A number of small pits and stake-holes identified within this trench were interpreted as relating to the former garden plot.
C/O John Cronin & Associates, 3a Westpoint Trade Centre, Ballincollig, Co. Cork
