Water mill — horizontal-wheeled in Kilbegly

On a low-lying level landscape. Archaeological excavation (E3369) during 2007 at Kilbegly 2 as part of the Athlone to Ballinasloe N6 road development recovered an almost complete horizontal water mill. Part of a millpond, a complete flume and the wheel-pit were excavated by N. Jackman for the NRA (Jackman 2010a). The pond (area c. 340 square m) arose through natural springs, and was directed by large re-used beams and wattle fences to an oak flume (L 2.75m; Wth 0.45-0.65m; H 0.55m) carved from a single piece with a separate lid and a yew aperture plate at the lower end secured with iron rivets. The undercroft (dims c. 1.4m x 1.4m) had wooden walls (H 1m) on three sides and a floor of six wooden planks. The tail-race was a cut (Wth 3m; max. D 1.5m) that ran NE-SW and was excavated for a length of 25m. Within the tail-race and c. 5.5m from the undercroft was a wooden platform (dims 2.6m x 2.15m) of seven oak planks that is interpreted as an earlier mill with dendrochronological dates after AD 601 and AD 534. In addition two earlier head-races (Wth c. 1.2m; D 0.45-0.65m) lined with wattle ran NE-SW towards the mill but did not communicate with it. Parts of the wheel hub and two of its paddles were also recovered. Radiocarbon and dendrochronological dates were recovered ranging from the fifth to the ninth centuries AD, but the structure is likely to date from the mid-seventh to the mid-ninth centuries. The mill has produced a wealth of environmental and technological data. The corn-drying kiln (RO054-070----) is c. 110m to the NE, and Kilbegley church (RO054-027001-) is on a rise c. 500m to the ENE. The fulacht fia (RO054-069----) is c. 30m to the NE. When the conservation of the flume and undercroft is completed it is intended to display them at a suitable venue. (Jackman 2009, Jackman 2010; Jackman 2013; Jackman et al. 2013, vol. 1) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 August 2010 Amended: 30 July, 2013; 25 November, 2013