Kiln in Drumree

Situated in a low-lying area at the bottom of a gentle S-facing slope, with a SW-NE section of the Skane River just to the SE. Centre-line testing (04E0481) by T. O’Neill (2004) in Testing Area 19 of the M3 (excavations.ie 2004:1225) identified a spread of broken and burnt stone that was fully excavated (E003049) by H. Schweitzer in February 2006 as Drumree 1 when the remains of a fulacht fia (ME044-049001-) and two kilns were recorded (excavations.ie 2006:1551). Two palaeo-channels ran just to the N and S of the excavated area. In the NW of the excavated area were two kilns. One (dims 1.63m x 0.93m; max. D 0.31m) was rectangular and aligned NW-SE, with in situ burning at its centre, and burnt bone in the primary of two deposits. The other (dims 1.69m x 0.85-0.95m. D 0.12-0.28m) was just 0.5m to the S and aligned E-W. It was of figure-of-eight form with a clearly distinguishable flue and slight evidence of burning in the W bowl. A hearth (diam. 1m; D 0.2m) with a fire-reddened base was c. 4m to the NE and a larger fire-pit (dims 1.04m x 0.95m; D 0.45m) 7m to the NE had a fire-reddened base and fills of charcoal-rich silts and material from the slumped sides. (Schweitzer 2008, 4-6) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 9 December 2021 O’Neill, T. 2004 M3 Clonee - North of Kells, Contract 1 Clonee – Dunshaughlin. Final Report on Archaeological Assessment at Testing Area 19, Drumree and Johnstown, County Meath. Licence: 04E0481. Unpublished report, Archaeological Consultancy Services