Archaeological excavation report, E2793 Stonehousefarm 3, County Westmeath

At the request of Westmeath County Council, CRDS Ltd. have undertaken a programme of archaeological excavations for part of the N6 Kinnegad to Kilbeggan Dual Carriageway. In total 64 archaeological sites were identified during centre-line testing as part of the Advance Archaeological Investigation, Contract 2: Tyrrellspass to Kilbeggan (conducted by CRDS Ltd. under licence 04E0579). This report refers to the excavation of Stonehousefarm 3 in the parish of Kilbeggan and barony of Moycashel, Co. Westmeath. Within the road scheme it is located at chainage 29895 on the main N6 centre-line. The programme of excavations was undertaken between the 18th October 2004 and 21st January 2005 as part of Ministerial Direction A1 (Site Identification A001-012 - registration E2793). The following report contains the final results of the excavations. Stonehousefarm 3 consisted of two charcoal production pits and later agricultural activity. These site sare often associated with the smelting and forging of iron and can date to as early as 500 BC to the 17th century AD. Radiocarbon dating of one of the pits (Pit 2) has yielded a date of 939±33BP (1030-1170AD) putting it firmly at the end of the Early Medieval Period. Both Oak and Alder were used seperatly for the production of the charcoal. The site at Stonehousefarm 3 was archaeologically resolved within the footprint of the proposed road scheme under terms established by the Project Archaeologist, Westmeath County Council.