Metalworking site in Trantstown

This metalworking site was excavated along the route of the N8 Glanmire-Watergrasshill Bypass in 2001. It comprised two iron-smelting furnaces situated immediately adjacent to each other, the smaller of the two at the NW and the larger to the SE. The smaller, clay-lined, sub-oval furnace (0.42m x 0.42m; D 0.36m) was irregular in shape with probable flues extending from its N and S sides. The principal fill of this furnace was identified as a hard black deposit of solidified iron slag with frequent charcoal inclusions. The larger, untruncated, clay-lined furnace (diam c. 0.55m; D 0.35m) at the SE was subcircular in plan and was found with its clay lid (max. T 0.1m) intact. The lid overlay the principal fill of the feature, a slag-rich deposit, which in turn overlay a black silty deposit and a mixed clay/slag deposit. According to the excavator (Sherlock 2003j, 55), the presence of a mixed clay/slag deposit around the sides and base of the furnace may suggest that it was reused on at least one occasion. The slag recovered from both features was found to derive from the processing of bog iron. Charcoal samples from this metalworking site were radiocarbon dated to 2220±40 BP. Another excavated metalworking site (CO064-170----) was situated c. 530m to the SW and another excavated furnace (CO064-164----) was c. 900m to the SW. (Sherlock 2003i, 55; Sherlock 2003j) The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 5' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). Date of upload: 22 December 2009