County: Antrim Site name: TEMPLECORRAN, Forthill
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 47:10 Licence number: —
Author: Norman Crothers
Site type: Ecclesiastical enclosure
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 744820m, N 893691m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.770293, -5.749210
A small-scale excavation for the purposes of evaluation was carried out in the south-east quadrant of this large enclosure in advance of a private housing development due to begin in 1994. A geophysical survey indicated the presence of three substantial ditches and several smaller features. Unfortunately a large area had already been stripped to subsoil by mechanical excavator in preparation for an access road. The excavation, funded by Environment Service, Historic Monuments and Buildings, DoE (NI), commenced on 25 November and lasted until 22 December.
Initially three trial trenches were opened up in an attempt to discover the nature of the features recorded by the geophysical survey. A small trench 3m x 6m, within the area stripped by the mechanical excavator, failed to locate any trace of a large ditch but two small subsoil cut features were recovered. One was a stone-filled pit which contained two flints and a small piece of burnt bone. The other was a shallow pit with three stake-holes around its periphery. This area has been so badly disturbed that any remaining features will be very badly truncated. The other two trenches were more productive. Below the very mixed ploughsoil, which covers the entire site, were sealed deposits containing a substantial quantity of flint, in turn sealing several phases of cobbling. The cobbling ran up to, and seemed to be contained by, a linear stone feature. Overlying the final phase of cobbling is another linear stone feature and an arc of stones.
Two further trenches were opened up to try and locate the enclosing bank and/or ditch. While several features were uncovered, including two small gullies which may be of medieval age, no trace was uncovered of an enclosing bank or ditch. The precise nature and function of the uncovered features remains uncertain because, due to extremely adverse weather conditions, full excavation of the features was not possible.
While no evidence for an enclosing bank or ditch was uncovered during this evaluation excavation, sufficient evidence for archaeological activity has been discovered to warrant a further, more extensive, investigation of the site. The information so far recovered seems to suggest that the site was originally a prehistoric occupation site, probably late Neolithic, with later occupation much disturbed by agricultural activity. The agricultural activity is post-medieval in date and has greatly disturbed and truncated the underlying features.
It is planned to recommence this excavation in April 1994.
13 Christine Gardens, Newtownabbey, BT36 6TE , Co Antrim
