2009:019 - BELFAST: Skainos Project, Methodist Church, 239 Newtownards Road, Antrim

The proposed demolition of a Methodist church and associated buildings resulted in the investigation of the carpark situated to the rear of the church, which had been constructed over a 19th-century cemetery associated with the church built in 1826. A series of pile caps and two lift shafts were inserted into the carpark and any human remains encountered were carefully removed along with any surviving coffin fragments. A total of 172 individuals were recovered from the first phase of excavation. Several fragments of clothing and five near-complete coffins were recovered during the excavation. Fragments of headstones and coffin plates were also recovered. The skeletal assemblage is reflective of all members of society. The second phase of demolition is scheduled for January 2010.