1978, 1979:014 - CARRICKFERGUS, Antrim

This report covers the work done in 1978 and 1979. lt was written by M.L. Simpson, who is preparing T. Delaney’s work for publication. It represents the final work in the present excavation project in Carrickfergus.

CF IV (High Street)
The north part of the area to the rear of No. 37 High Street had been excavated in 1974 and 5, leaving the central and south plots to be examined. In the central area three 19th-century walls were exposed, as well as a linear feature (to the south) of loose stones. These walls lay directly on, though slightly out of line with, three earlier walls which formed part of a rectangular structure, approximately 7m x 10m, directly on the raised beach. Within the earlier walls was a massive raft of red clay, some 1.2m deep, resting on the raised beach but probably post-dating the walls. One of these walls produced, from its body, a copper-alloy double tournois of Louis XIII, dated to 1627-35 and consistent with other evidence from the site. In the southern area a completely different stratigraphy was found, sloping down to the 16th-century town wall at the seaward end of the site. The stratification had been largely disturbed by a substantial 19th-century sewer pipe cutting across the area and exiting through the town wall. Excavation of the undisturbed parts of the area revealed a series of superimposed cobbled floors and drains similar to those found elsewhere in IV, the earliest dating to the late 16th/early 17th century. Below this in the north and west of the area was a black stoney organic layer, containing large amounts of animal bone, some everted-rim pottery and gravel-tempered ware. Near the bottom of this layer was a double line of postholes running east-west, 1m apart, between which were the remains of a dry stone wall. 3m south of this wall was another parallel line of postholes forming a right angle with a north-south line of larger postholes, which were cut deep into the raised beach and ran under the town wall. Two other features of note were found in the southern area, both sealed by the organic layer. A shallow pit cut into the beach contained the upper half of a quern stone. In its vicinity was a hearth, consisting of a circle of stones, approximately 15m in diameter, set in red clay. The fill was 0.3m deep consisting of layers of burnt clay and wood, charcoal, sand and ash and its associated pottery was 15th/16th century in date, The very small amount of earlier medieval (i.e. 13th/14th century) pottery found in southern CF IV came from isolated patches of dirty sand sealed between the organic layer and the raised beach and much of it was badly rolled, suggesting that this area had been inundated by the sea. Large quantities of pottery were found only in the 16th–18th-century contexts (and some of these were disturbed) and included North Devon wares, tin-glazed wares, slipware, and stoneware. Very few metal objects were found.

CF VI (Sador’s Row)
Work continued on both sides of the early 17th-century town wall in 1978 and 9. Since the stratigraphy proved to be relatively undisturbed, it was considered important to excavate as large an area as possible down to subsoil (raised beach). Several very interesting features were revealed, including the foundations of the West/lrish gate, with a rectangular stone structure immediately outside it whose purpose is still uncertain but whose fill contained clay pipes and pottery dating to the turn of the 17th century. Several vessels from a pit were virtually complete. The line of the ditch immediately outside the town wall was traced and found to be 5m  wide but less than 1m deep, becoming shallower to the south. It appeared to be unfinished and to predate the town wall. However, by far the most important feature in this area was a double-flued pottery kiln, complete with its last firing load and dated by coins to the early 13th century (Medieval Ceramics, 3, 1979). Several large pits, whose fill included fired clay, charcoal and stones, were found near the kiln and one pit in particular contained a lot of local pottery. Unfortunately, this area was destroyed before the pits, which may well have been further kilns, could be fully excavated. Large quantities of leather were recovered from the black organic layer and large amounts of metal and pottery from all layers. Coins included a 17th-century Irish token, a 17th-century French coin, two 17th-century Scottish coins, two coins of Elizabeth I, a groat of Edward III and five silver cut half-pennies. Other small finds of note were a gilded 13th-century brooch, a fragment of an annular copper-alloy brooch, a copper-alloy zoomorphic object, and a stone spindle whorl.

CF IX (North Street)
Excavation took place here in 1978 in advance of a shopping development. The site was potentially important since it was in the middle of the town, whereas most other sites had been concentrated on the perimeter. It was at once clear that the later 17th- and 18th-century layers had been disturbed or completely removed by later buildings. However, beneath the 19th-century walls and concrete rafts the earlier archaeological layers were preserved intact. These layers were visually very similar, differing mainly in the quantities of shell, bone and stone present. The uppermost layer contained some 16th-/17th-century pottery, including North Devon gravel-free and gravel-tempered wares, Raeren and Martinkamp stoneware and medieval pottery. Sgraffito and Staffordshire slipwares were absent. Beneath this level medieval pottery only was found. Very little was diagnostically early medieval (i.e. 13th/14th century) and a high proportion was of south-west Scottish/north-west English origin. Metal finds were not common, the only finds of note being a 16th-century Nuremburg jetton, a rowel spur fragment and an iron and wood handle with copper alloy rivets. A great deal of animal bone was recovered. ‘Natural’ (red marl) was reached only in a small area and the site has now been destroyed.

NOTE: The sites originally designated CF V- VIII are now considered as one site, Irish Quarter. The site at 46 North Street (see Excavations, 1975), observed during its destruction, has now been designated CF X. The finds from 30-32 West Street (see Excavations, 1975) have been incorporated into CF VI. The Castle Green site (see Excavations, 1976) has been designated CF XI. The Governor’s Place site (see Excavations, 1977) has been designated CF XII.