County: Down Site name: CASTLE GARDENS, Newtownards
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 6:19 Licence number: —
Author: Declan P. Hurl, Environment Service, Historic Monuments and Buildings, DOE(NI)
Site type: Habitation site and Graveyard
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 749176m, N 873938m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.591686, -5.691658
The demolition of buildings at British Telecom premises in the vicinity of the 13th-century Dominican priory in Newtownards uncovered 2 post-medieval gate pillars in the wall. An excavation was organised on behalf of Environment Service, DOE(NI) to put them into their archaeological context (Site 1). At the same time, a planning request to construct a garage in the garden immediately south of the priory prompted another exploratory excavation in the area (Site 2).
Site 1
A 5m x 1.2m trench was dug in front of the pillars and found they sat on the sandy bedding layer of the gravel path, which ran between them, and dated them to the late 17th/early 18th century. Beneath them was an earlier path, which again rested on a sand bedding layer; these contained medieval and post-medieval finds. It was flanked by 2 postholes, both 0.3m in diameter, cut into the natural sand; one still contained the base of its post which was radiocarbon-dated to the mid-17th century.
Sealed by the earlier path was a ditch 0.9m deep, at the bottom of which was a stone-lined drain, again of post-medieval date. Beside it was a series of recut pits and gullies which were filled by mottled clays and dark organic deposits containing a selection of fine medieval wares.
It was deduced that the earlier features were medieval refuse pits and drains associated with the priory, and truncated by the drainage ditch and earlier path which were probably built by Montgomery in the early 17th century. This path was superceded by that of the Colvilles who took over the estate at the end of the 17th century and built the gateway and new path.
Site 2
Two trenches were opened; one measured 3m x 1m and was positioned near the east cloister doorway, the other was stepped in shape and covered 6.75m2, these accounting for 3.2% of the garden area.
Below the garden soils in the 1st trench, we uncovered a series of burials, all extended and oriented east-west with the heads to the west. There were 4 relatively intact skeletons (one had been buried in a coffin), indications of 6 others either in disturbed burials or showing up peripherally in section, and a collection of bones (including a collection of 3 skulls) in the fills of the latest interments. The only finds were a few sherds of medieval pottery and an iron nail.
In the other trench below the garden soil were deposits of rubble and building debris with medieval and post-medieval finds. A wall foundation was also found running into the west side of the cloister doorway where the stump of a moulded stone pillar sat on the wall. Three other burials, similarly oriented and positioned, were located, one with the remains of another inhumation in its fill. Again, at this level all the finds were medieval in date.
That a medieval cemetery was found to the south of the priory should be no great surprise; that there was such a density of inhumations was unexpected, especially as the cloister was presumed to have been part of the original construction. We now have reason to believe that this was not the case. No traces of post-medieval construction were found, save for the debris, but we knew from the documentary evidence that the Montgomery house utilised the surviving walls of the priory, and possibly the Colvilles continued that tradition.
5-33 Hill St. Belfast, BTJ 2LA
