County: Tyrone Site name: Feddan/Drumcorke A – D
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/13/32
Author: Matt Nichol
Site type: Prehistoric settlement and cemetery sites and post-medieval kiln
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 661838m, N 855860m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.447500, -7.046560
Excavation was undertaken at Feddan/Drumcorke A-D, Feddan and Drumcorke, Co. Tyrone, on behalf of The Department for Regional Development, Roads Service. The works were undertaken as part of Phase 2 of the Archaeological Services Contract prior to the commencement of construction of the proposed A5 road. The site is located along Section 3 of the proposed road route. Section 3 extends from Seskinore Road in the north to Ballygawley in the south. Section 3 was the southernmost segment of the proposed development site which consists of 37km of new road in total.
The excavation license was issued to Jamie Wright of CotswoldRubicon for the purpose of undertaking excavation.
Feddan/Drumcorke A-D were previously unknown sites which were identified during Phase 1 archaeological work on the scheme. Phase 1 was carried out following an environmental impact statement on the proposed route which included a chapter on cultural Heritage (Mouchel 2012), and geophysical survey of the route (Durham 2012). The results of this survey subsequently formed the basis of an evaluation strategy which involved trial trenching and/or strip and map of selected areas of high archaeological potential. The evaluation trench layout was designed by project managers Mouchel in consultation with the Historic Monuments Unit of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) In total 11,180.5m of trial trench was excavated and 29,682.5m² of strip and map was carried out on Section 3. Further works are proposed but could not be carried out before work on the scheme was suspended in June 2013.
Full excavation was undertaken of four areas at Feddan/Drumcorke (A-D: total area of 2376m²) between 4 March and 3 April 2013. The preliminary evaluation of the findings of the excavation suggests that 70 archaeological features were present indicating prehistoric activity at two of the areas, including the remnants of a possible roundhouse and several hearths (Area A) and two ring ditches (one with a truncated central cremation grave), and pits and post-holes (Area B). Both these areas produced assemblages of prehistoric pottery. Area D contained a probable charcoal-production pit, and Area C contained a keyhole-shaped kiln in which evidence of firing, remnants of charcoal and layers of lime were preserved. Two ditches were also recorded at the latter site, one of which was cut by the kiln and was thus presumably earlier in date than the kiln, and the second of which contained modern artefacts and can be seen on the 1st Edition OS map of the area.
Further analysis of the results of the excavation is required to refine the interpretation of the site. Proposals are set forth for further work in relation to this site.
References
Durham 2012, Section 3 A5 Western Transport Corridor Northern Ireland geophysical survey.
Mouchel 2012 http://www.a5wtc.com/Environmental_Statement.aspx, Chapter 9.
Cotswold Archaeology, Stanley House, Walworth Road, Andover, Hampshire SP10 5LH.
