Kiln - lime

The National Monuments Service's description

Located c. 10m N of Staad Abbey church (SL005-022001-), in an area of lowlying coastal pasture, bordering a cobble beach. This bowl-shaped, stone-lined pit is exposed in section in the land-edge cliff (H c. 2m) bordering the cobble beach. It was record in 2000 during archaeological investigation (licence no. 00E0235) at Staad Abbey, and at that date measured c. 2.5m in diameter and 1-1.5m in depth (McCormick and O’Sullivan et al. 2000, 21-23). The base of the pit contains fire-reddened material overlain by lime residue, which points to its function as a lime roasting clamp for the production of mortar. These basal fills are overlain by redeposited stony soil, used to backfill the pit when it fell out of use. The position of the pit in the stratigraphy of the cliff face suggests that the pit belongs to a late medieval phase of activity at the site, and may be associated with the construction of the church (SL005-022001-) (Ibid., 27). The cliff face continues to recede due to erosion, but remnants of the pit are still visible.

Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 3 July 2017

References

McCormick, F., O'Sullivan, J., Pearson, P. and Roulston, W. 2000 Staad Abbey, County Sligo. An interim report on geophysical surveys, a standing building survey and excavations at the cliff-face in April/May 2000. Unpublished report submitted to National Monument Service.