Kiln - corn-drying

The National Monuments Service's description

First identified in centre-line testing (00E0379) for the re-alignment of the N25 Wexford town to New Ross road (Elder and Tierney 2002), and completely excavated (00E0476) subsequently. It is situated on a fairly level landscape. A keyhole-shaped kiln consisting of an elaborate drying chamber (int. diam. 2.87m N-S; 2.72m E-W; D 0.7m) that had near vertical sides and a flat base was excavated. It was lined and quartered with double rows (0.2m apart) of contiguous stones in a pattern resembling a ringed cross, which facilitated the even spread of the heat. The flue was a channel (L 4m) extending to the SW, becoming broader (Wth 0.84-2.75m) and shallower with distance from the drying chamber. It was lined with stones, but few remained. A sample from the kiln fill produced a C14 date of cal AD 1450-1650. The working area (WX036-083001-) c. 40m to the SSW may have been contemporary, but the field system recorded as two parallel ditches and parallel furrows is later and probably post-medieval. (Noonan 2002; Noonan and Johnston 2006)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 7 November, 2012

References

Elder, S. and Tierney, M. 2002 N25 Rathsillatgh to Harristown Little realignment scheme. Prehistoric and medieval. in I. Bennett (Ed.) Excavations 2000: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 358, No. 1068. Bray, Wordwell

Noonan, D. 2002 Bricketstown. Corn-drying kiln and field system. in I. Bennett (Ed.) Excavations 2000: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 350, No. 1041. Bray, Wordwell.

Noonan, D. and Johnston, P. 2006 Final excavation report, N25 Harristown to Rathsillagh realignment, Bricketstown, Co. Wexford. Kiln, field system, hearth, work surface. Licence No. 00E0476. Unpublished report, Eachtra Archaeological Projects.