County: Antrim Site name: BALLYHILL LOWER
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: Brian Williams, Historic Monuments Branch, DOE
Site type: Ringfort - rath and Souterrain
Period/Dating: Medieval (AD 400-AD 1600)
ITM: E 722225m, N 877995m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.635345, -6.106727
In advance of a farm lane being laid through the site a rectangular trench 65m by 5m was opened using a machine. It was found that the site had been extensively damaged within the interior by lazy-bed cultivation, and the topsoil extended down to the subsoil for most of the area examined. Remnants of an occupation surface survived towards the southern area of the trench. Many sherds of souterrain ware, together with flint, burnt flint, burnt bone and charcoal, were recovered.
Despite the almost sterile interior the rath is a visually impressive monument with a small souterrain built into the bank.
