Kiln - corn-drying

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on a low rise. Archaeological testing (06E1008) by J. McKee identified three archaeological areas (excavations.ie 2007:1330). Area B is a stone-lined Keyhole-shaped corn-drying kiln with a subcircular drying bowl (diam. 1.65-1.7m; D 0.2m) and a flue (L 3.5m; Wth of top 1.1m at S to 1.8m at N) extending N (Wth of base 0.5-1m) to a subrectangular stoke-hole (dims 1.8m E-W; 1.5m N-S; D 0.3m). The fill of the bowl included compacted brown clay with stones from the collapse of the superstructure while the flue was filled with two layers with varying amounts of charcoal. An L-shaped drystone wall added just N and W of the stoke-hole was secondary but directed the draught to the stoke-hole. The kiln and its structure were surrounded by a U-shaped gully (max. Wth 1.8m; max. D 0.5m). A hearth was outside the gully to the NE. (dims 6.5m E-W; 1.8m N-S; D 0.5m). Similar kilns have been dated to the thirteenth and fourteenth century.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 18 November 2021