1977:081 - MASSEREENE, Antrim

It was suggested as a result of earlier investigations (Excavations 1974) that a tower house may have adjoined the friary church at its S.E. end. This building, despite its late date is of great interest because so little remains of Third Order friary architecture in Ulster, where there were 21 houses in the mid-16th century. Other Ulster examples were at Inver, Lambeg, and Glenarm, Co. Antrim and Holywood, Co. Down. Although, early in 1977, threatening roadworks had not commenced, the property previously preventing further excavation to the SE had been vacated and a limited excavation became possible. The foundations of the suspected buildings at the SE angle were revealed, approximately square on plan, and further traces of walling continued to the S indicating a second but less substantial apartment. Unfortunately the occupation/foundation layers of the medieval buildings sloped upwards to meet the modern garden surface in this direction with the result that remaining traces were very faint and largely disturbed. However, we are left with the definite suggestion of an E range abutting the SE angle of the church, the foundations of the first compartment of which would have been sufficient to have carried a small tower. Disturbance was such that no details of interior layout, doorways etc. could be recovered and no significant finds were made.