County: Antrim Site name: SOLAR
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 30:3 Licence number: —
Author: Declan P. Hurl, Environment Service, Historic Monuments and Buildings, DoE (NI)
Site type: Ecclesiastical enclosure
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 734322m, N 912187m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.939280, -5.903640
A 15-week excavation took place in advance of proposed construction of agricultural buildings in the scheduled area south of the reputed site of the church of Solar. Bulldozing of topsoil in a strip across the site in 1990 revealed a dense scatter of artefacts extending south-west of the church site for over 30m.
The excavation, in five 10m x 2m and two 4m x 4m trenches, revealed the existence of a cemetery of stone-lined interments dating from the Early Christian period and probably continuing in use with undefined burials into the 13th century. The early burials overlay a (boundary?) ditch and were contained within a terraced area. A medieval stone-lined pit, possibly a corn-drying kiln, disturbed some of the burials and a stone-packed drain was cut around the edge of the terrace. Small finds included pottery, a penannular brooch and an iron arrowhead.
At the farmer's request two further trenches were dug to determine the extent of the burials. These quickly revealed the presence of further interments in an area considered as a possible alternative site for the agricultural buildings and excavation was halted. The issue of where the buildings should be sited is as yet unresolved.
5-33 Hill Street, Belfast BT1 2LA
