Kiln — corn-drying in Brownstown (carnalway Ed)

Of four features identified through archaeological monitoring in advance of a quarry development at Brownstown/Carnalway (Excavations 1999, 122; Excavation licence no. 99E0416 Online www.excavations.ie), two were deemed to be archaeologically significant and both were subsequently excavated (Licence No. 00E0303 Online www.excavations.ie). One feature proved to be a clay-cut drying kiln, most probably for corn, although no remains of cereals were recovered. The feature was a pit containing charcoal and soil deposits, which had been truncated by ploughing. The kiln appeared as a cut ( L 6.32m; Wth 1.68m) in the natural sand subsoil, filled with a brown, sandy clay. It comprised two depressions linked by a channel. The larger, lower depression (L 3.4m; Wth 1.6m) acted as the fire-bowl, joined to the channel or flue, which directed hot air to a circular depression (diam. 1m) or drying bowl to its N. The presence of post-holes suggested a wooden structure probably covered the drying bowl, while the flue may have been covered by sods. The kiln had at least two phases of use, indicated by a recutting of the fire-bowl through earlier ash deposits. After the kiln went out of use the cutting was backfilled in what appears to have been one event. The posts were also apparently removed, and had not rotted in situ. The kiln had a limited lifespan, perhaps a couple of seasons. Comparable sites, mostly lined with stone, have been found on medieval sites in Britain and Ireland and may even have been used up to the 19th century. The second feature, located 22m SE of the kiln, was a small circular pit (diam. 0.67m; D 0.24m) containing two fills: a discrete circular deposit of mottled brown, burnt soil with charcoal flecks , and a deposit of mid-brown, sandy, silty soil with charcoal flecks. No datable or diagnostic finds were recovered from either feature. A piece of prehistoric waste flint was found in the kiln, but it appears to have been redeposited along with a brown, sandy clay, which was used to backfill the kiln after it had gone out of use. A sherd of post-medieval pottery found adjacent to the kiln, lying on the surface of the natural, was also disturbed. Charcoal and bone samples were recovered from the fills of both features for radiocarbon dating. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 12 July 2012