Kiln - corn-drying

The National Monuments Service's description

Located in the valley of a SE-NW stream with an E-W section of the stream c. 35m to the S. Centre-line testing (E4067) in advance of the N25 New Ross by-pass identified a sub-triangular pit with steep sides filled with sandy clay that had some charcoal inclusions but the surrounding subsoil was oxidized (Doyle et al. 2010, 31). It was set aside for resolution as Camlin 1 and completely excavated (E4106). The pit (dims 2.1m E-W; 1.4m N-S; D 0.2m) contained fills of sandy silts and clays with charcoal inclusions where a hone stone and a hammer-stone were found. It is interpreted as a primitive corn-drying kiln, and some charcoal-rich spreads nearby are interpreted as rake-out. Five pits (dims 0.4m x 0.38m; D 0.13m to 2.6m x 1.8m; D 0.2m) in the vicinity were probably connected with the kiln, and a narrow curvilinear trench (L 10.6m; Wth 0.5m; D 0.3m) to the E is interpreted as the foundation of a wind-break. Fifteen sherds of medieval pottery were recovered in the topsoil. (Long et al. 2010, 8-12; Hackett 2013)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 24 September, 2013

References

Doyle, L., Hackett, L., Hession, J., Marshall, M. Yates, D. and Bolger, T. 2010 N25 New Ross bypass road scheme, Cappagh, Co. Kilkenny to Knockroe, Co.Wexford. Archaeological services contract, Stage (1) – standard test excavation, wetland test excavation, townland boundary survey and architectural/built heritage survey. Test excavation report, under Ministerial Directions Number A52 (E4067) Unpublished report. Headland Archaeology Ltd.

Hackett, L. 2013 Camlin 1. Cereal-drying kiln, pits and linear features. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2010: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 229, No. 723. Dublin. Wordwell.

Long, P., Clark, L. and Hackett, L. 2010 N25 New Ross bypass road scheme, Cappagh, Co. Kilkenney to Knockroe, Co. Wexford. Archaeological Services Contract, Stage (iii) – excavation, post-excavation assessment report for Camlin 1 in the townland of Landscape, Co. Wexford. Unpublished report, Headland Archaeology.