Kiln — corn-drying in Portmarnock

A residential development has been completed where the monument stood. Nothing remains. Entirely removed by excavation under licence 16E0613 in advance of development. The results of this excavation were summarised by Gill McLoughlin as follows; 'The excavation comprised the remains of a large sub‐surface ditched enclosure (DU015‐014001-) adjacent to the upstanding Portmarnock mound (DU015‐014----), east of the railway line at Portmarnock and south of Station Road. The archaeological excavation took place over fourteen weeks from the 9th January 2017 with a team of ten archaeologists and six general operatives. Excavation at the site followed previous archaeological monitoring and excavation in relation to Phase 1A of a permitted development immediately to the west of the enclosure site (Planning Ref. F13A/0248). The excavation that is the subject of this report is referred to as Phase 1B (Area 3). During the phase 1A archaeological investigations targeted testing was carried out on the phase 1B enclosure to confirm its existence and its nature and extent. The enclosure was slightly elliptical or sub‐circular in plan and measured a maximum external diameter of 77m east‐west x 70m north‐south (68m east‐west x 60m north‐south internal diameter), with an entrance to the east. Kiln C214 - C214 was the cut of a figure‐of‐eight shaped kiln, also located in the south of the site, 2.5m southwest of kiln C261. This kiln was aligned south‐west to north‐east and measured 2.15m x 1.35m and was a maximum of 0.2m deep. The natural subsoil at the base of the kiln cut was burnt red and sealed by basal layer C213, which was a moderately compacted oxidised red clay with frequent burnt bone, shell, charcoal and small stone inclusions. This layer measured 1.8m x 0.5m and 0.1m deep. The northern side of fill C213 was overlain by a layer of redeposited natural subsoil (C239) measuring 1.5m x 0.5m and 0.1m deep. On the southern side C213 was sealed by C215, a layer of moderately compacted dark black brown soil with frequent burnt and unburnt animal bone and mottled with red burnt soil. This layer measured 0.9m x 0.5m and 0.1m deep. A setting of four stones (C226) divided the upper layers C239 and C215 which may represent distinct phases of use for this feature. Layers C213 and C239 may represent the primary use as a kiln while C226 and C215 may represent reuse of the feature as a hearth. A sample of fill C215 selected for environmental analysis contained a single charred pea and a small quantity of indeterminate cereal grains as well as hazel charcoal. The quantities of charred remains were small and indicate that, in contrast with the other two kilns, this kiln had been cleaned out after it was last used (Lyons, Appendix 5.9). This feature is most likely to belong to one of the early medieval phases of activity (Phases 5, 6, or 7)' (McLoughlin 2019, 42). See attached photographs and plan of site courtesy of and © Gill McLoughlin of Courtney Deery Heritage Consultancy Ltd. McLoughlin, G. 2019 Final Archaeological Excavation Report, Station Road, Portmarnock, 16E0613. Unpublished archaeological report submitted by Courtney Deery Heritage Consultancy Ltd. to the National Monuments Service on behalf of Sherman Oaks Ltd. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by Gill McLoughlin of Deery Heritage Consultancy Ltd Date of upload: 21 June 2023