Kiln — corn-drying in Roestown (ratoath By.)

While the large enclosure, rath and burial ground are preserved under introduced soil in a green area all the available external area was excavated (15E0125) under the direction of S. McGlade in 2018-19 (excavations.ie 2019:474), and amongst other features 25 cereal-drying kilns were recorded in addition to one already noted within the rath (Hession and Moriarty 2009, 19, 20). They were scattered throughout the excavated area but seven were dispersed within the N annexe, and usage culminated in six additional intercutting kilns at the NW angle of that annexe and to facilitate these a large waste pit was cut into the N ditch of the annexe. C-shaped structures associated with fourteen of the kilns and defined by slot-trenches can be interpreted as windbreaks of hurdles, while a circular structure adjacent to an unused kiln S of the rath is interpreted by the excavator as a possible barn. The kilns were not all contemporary, and the smaller ones and those dispersed to the NE of the rath where some are connected with a metalled work-platform might be amongst the earliest. South of the rath/large enclosure material from the ploughed out Kiln 25 was in a N-S boundary gully that pre-dated the S curvilinear annexe, while Kiln 23 was cut by the last ditch of that enclosure. Two kilns (1, 2) were within the E enclosure, which may have been designed for them. The N annexe seems to have been devoted initially to the kilns before being used for an intensive bout of metalworking and finally returning to its original purpose with probably the last activity of the excavated area in the intercutting kilns. Seven kilns are located N of the rath and E of its N annexe. These are usually placed c. 20-25m apart, with three in a N-S line just E of the N annexe that are placed more closely together (c. 6-9m). The N kiln (No. 8) is keyhole-shaped (dims 3.29m x 1.71m; D 0.49m) with evidence of two firings and a windbreak (L c. 5m) around it E-S-W. South of this is Kiln 9, a figure-of-eight example (dims 2.32m x 1.18m; D 0.43m) with at least two firings. Kiln 10, a poorly preserved figure-of-eight kiln (dims 2.1m x 1.08m; D 0.15m) with the remnants of a windbreak (L 6.1m plus) around it E-S-W was about 9m to the SE of Kiln 9. (McGlade 2020, vol. 1, 86-90) About 70m NE of the rath and just W of a processing area with a metaled surface (dims c. 8m x c. 5m) that was defined by a ditch at W and N a small E-W figure-of-eight kiln (L 2.05m), No. 3, was dug through the silting of the W ditch. This was replaced by Kiln 4, a large N-S structure of two phases dug through the smaller kiln and along the line of the silted ditch. The cut (dims 2.6m x 1.16m; D 0.54m) for its S, stone-lined, firing-chamber connected with its N stone-lined drying-chamber in its own cut. The drying-chamber was later lined with clay, and at least six firings can be distinguished together with burnt clay from the collapse of its superstructure. Kilns 5, a truncated chamber (1.4m x 0.86m; D 0.38m), and 6, a truncated keyhole-shape (dims c. 2.05m x c. 0.9m) were SE and E of the metalled surface respectively. Kiln 7 (L 2.7m plus; D 0.3m) was W of that surface and probably cut into an early phase of the large WNW-ESE boundary ditch (Wth < 3.9m; D 1.65m) as it ran parallel with it, but it was truncated by a re-cutting of the ditch and was overlaid by Path 3. (McGlade 2020, vol. 1, 78-85) Kiln 1, a keyhole type (diam. c. 0.7m) with the flue (L c. 0.45m) extending E, and Kiln 2 are within the E annexe. Rake-out of kiln 2 appeared in the stratigraphy of the annexe ditch. The original Kiln 2 was a figure-of-eight form (dims c. 2m N-S; c. 1m E-W) and at its N end it cut a wide E-W ditch that seems to be confined to the annexe. This kiln may have been fired from both ends and it was subsequently lengthened (L c. 1.5m) at S by a sloping ramp down to the original S chamber. Stones partially lined this flue and the kiln continued to use the original N chamber for drying (total L c. 3.25m). The S end of the extended kiln cut into another E-W ditch that may have served as a continuation of its flue as the extended kiln was re-used many times. (McGlade 2020, vol. 1, 106-110) Of the twelve cereal-drying kilns within the area of the N annexe, six in the NW corner probably post-date it but the others are cut by and cut features of the annexe. Kiln 11 was a keyhole type (max. dims c. 2m NE-SW; c. 1.3m NW-SE) with the firing chamber at NE and the flue extending SW with evidence of two firings. It had a large wind-break curving from the fosse of the large enclosure at W that cuts the fosse and swings around to the N c. 6m distant from the kiln. Kiln 12 was a figure-of-eight (dims c. 2.9m E-W; c. 1.4m N-S) feature in the NE angle of the annexe, had the firing chamber at W and had been fired at least three times. The short arc of a windbreak was c. 1.5m to the S. An additional slot-trench for a windbreak extended from its E end to the E annexe ditch, while a line of postholes immediately W of the kiln and extending N could represent another windbreak. Kiln 13 was a figure-of-eight form (dims c. 7.3m N-S; c. 1.7m E-W) that was cut by an E-W subdivision of the annexe at N and it cut the fill of another at S. Its firing chamber was at S and it had at least two firings but no wind-break is associated with it. Kiln 14 is reduced to the flue and part of the chamber of a keyhole kiln that had been truncated by the E ditch of the annexe. It contained burnt and unburned bone as well as metal slag. An arc of a windbreak extended S-W and cut an E-W ditch at its S end and was cut by a re-cut of the eastern annexe ditch. Kiln 15 was a keyhole kiln (dims c. 5m N-S; c. 2m E-W) that was cut by a pit (L c. 1.7m) at its S end. The firing-chamber was at N and it was cut by an E-W ditch of the annexe associated with metalworking. Kiln 22 occupies the entrance gap at the N end of the original line of the W ditch of the N annexe. It is a keyhole type with a rock-cut chamber (dims c. 3.95m N-S; 1.84m E-W; D 0.56) at N and a flue (L c. 3.5m) extending S. It was truncated by a pit at N, so its junction with the large WNW-ESE boundary ditch does not survive. The chamber does truncate a rock-cut posthole that might have related to the original entrance to the annexe, but the kiln might have had only one firing. Three slot-trenches that curve S-W and are 5-10m to the W could have served kiln 22 as a windbreak. (McGlade 2020, vol. 1, 149-160, 176-8) Six kilns at the NW angle of the N annexe largely post-date its use as a recognizable bounded space. The earliest was Kiln 16, the truncated bowl (diam. c. 1.7m) of a keyhole kiln that was partially rock-cut and had a flue extending E but its W side was cut by Kiln 17. It had six layers and may have been fired three times. Kiln 17 (dims 4m plus N-S; c. 1.6m E-W) was keyhole-shaped with the flue at S and it was built over a secondary course of the W ditch of the annexe. It was fired at least twice, cut Kiln 16, was truncated by the N-S Kiln 18 to the W, and both 17 and 18 were cut by the E-W Kiln 19 to the S. The flue of Kiln 17 was continued by a channel on its line S of Kiln 19, in which case it had a long rake-out area (L 5m plus). Kiln 18 was keyhole-shaped (dims 4.05m x 1.88m; D 0.84m) with the firing chamber at S and a baffle-stone and stone-lining of the flue directing the heated air to the shallower N drying chamber. There is evidence of four firings, and a double posthole is truncated by the kiln cut. Kiln 19 (dims 7.9m plus E-W; 2.2m N-S; D 1m) had a stone-lined chamber at W with a stone-lined flue extending E where there might also have been a severely damaged stone-lined chamber, making a probable dumbbell shape. Single postholes outside the original cut for the E chamber at N and S probably relate to the initial construction of the superstructure of the chamber, but these were dispensed with for the two subsequent constructions of the E chamber. This kiln could have been fired from either end, a