1986:73 - GORTARAY, Tyrone

As part of research for an undergraduate dissertation, investigation was carried out on a penannular enclosure. Part of this work involved a small-scale excavation, one week in duration, of the inner bank of this enclosure. Lying in an area marshy in character and in close proximity to a small lake, the complex comprises three concentric banks enclosing four small mounds at the centre of the site. The site extends to 90m in diameter.

Work carried out before excavation included a ground survey, phosphate analysis and magnetic susceptibility, testing of soil samples and a resistivity survey. The outer bank rises to a height of 1.5m and measures 4m in width. A deep ditch, 1m in width, separates this bank from the second bank which measures 1.2m in height by 6.5m in width. Lying at distance of 9m within these two banks are four small mounds the exact nature of which was unclear, but on the basis of the pre-excavation survey they appeared to be some form of stone structures. The largest mound extends for 8m and is 7m wide, rising to a height of 0.8m. The dimensions of the smaller mounds are 5m x 4m, 5m x 6m and 6m x 3m. A trench (4m E-W x 1m N-S) was cut across the inner bank, 46m SE of the main mound.

On removing the turf and topsoil, a small quantity of 18th-century pottery was recovered (analogous to finds of a similar nature from a plantation site some 400m NW of this enclosure). Further excavation revealed a small sand bank rising to a height of 0.7m and lying above a bed of black peat/clay matrix. Immediately east of the bank and sloping away from it a ditch was located. At a depth of 1.3m flooding halted excavation on this ditch and an augur was used to determine that it continued to a depth of 1.9m.

Finds from the ditch and bank included a small quantity of bone (later identified as human) and some bovine teeth. It is hoped to carry out a more extensive investigation at a future date.

The Castle Farm, Stewartstown, Co. Tyrone