2018:346 - N22 Baile Bhuirne to Macroom, Carrigaphooca 1, Cork

Carrigaphooca 1 was located on the proposed N22 Baile Bhuirne to Macroom Road Project (Lot 2). The site was situated in a pasture field that sloped steeply down to the south towards the N22 road; large bedrock outcrops dominate the field to the north.

Excavation revealed the below-ground elements of a well-made stone-built lime kiln set into the steeply sloping hillside. The kiln had a large rake-out area which extended beyond the excavated site under a row of trees at the road verge; this area could not be safely excavated and remains in situ. Although no dating evidence was recovered from the site, the kiln has the appearance of a late post-medieval example and its location close to Carrigaphooca House might give an indication of its age.

The kiln was constructed within a deep cut set into the naturally steeply sloping hillside, opening out at the base of the slope to the south. The kiln itself was a sub-rectangular stone-lined feature with two stone-lined stokeholes set in its base. The stokeholes opened to the south into the large shallow rake-out area. All traces of the above-ground upstanding elements of the kiln structure were absent and the feature had been entirely demolished and infilled prior to its discovery during test trenching.

The lime kiln cut contained both the structural stone elements and the rake-out area to the south. The sub-rectangular cut measured at least 7.60m north to south by 4.65-5.15m and was 1.91m deep at its deepest (northern) side. At the north the cut had vertical sides to accommodate the stone structure whilst at the south in the rake-out area the sides were more gently sloping, rounding to a flat base. At this southern end the feature was no more than 0.30m deep.

The kiln itself occupied the northern part of the cut and was a square stone-built structure with external dimensions of 4.65m by 2.85m and internal dimensions of 3.94m by 2.49m. The kiln lining on its western, northern and eastern sides was a wall up to 1.34m high, constructed primarily of sandstone, with rare examples of flat shale. These medium-sized to large rounded and angular sandstone pieces were of variable size, measuring, on average, 0.35m by 0.20m and 0.10m thick. The wall was made up of random horizontal dry stone coursing, with a rough internal face. The upper courses were, when excavated, stained red, likely due to one of the upper fills laying against the wall for a prolonged period of time. The lower courses displayed evidence of burning and exposure to intense heat, with much of the stone blackened and with a high degree of vitrification evident, especially concentrated on the western half of the lime kiln wall.

The front (southern side) of the kiln structure consisted of three sections of wall, each a sub-square stone block. Together all four walls would have formed a somewhat square structure, with two stokeholes opening to the south, the western was 0.55m wide and the eastern was 0.60m wide. It is likely that the original structure would have had a continuous front wall with two square holes near its base, but truncation of the upper part of the wall has left three small separate wall sections. These walls also showed evidence of intense heat with many of the stones vitrified.

The two stokeholes were found in the base of the kiln floor in line with the gaps in the front wall of the structure. These were 3.20-3.21m long, 0.43-0.89m wide and 0.18-0.25m deep with stone lining, vitrified towards the top. The gap between and behind the stokeholes was built up with a sandy silt and stone deposit that had been baked hard.

Very little material relating to the use of the kiln survived, other than a few lumps of lime. Most of the fills related to its abandonment and collapse, with large amounts of burnt clay and stone presumably representing the roof and upper parts of the walls. The uppermost fills were washed in soily layers, suggesting that the kiln hole was left to fill in naturally once the main structure had been removed.

Ahish, Ballinruan, Crusheen, Co. Clare