County: Antrim Site name: SKERNAGHAN POINT, Island Magee
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: Heather F. James
Site type: Habitation site
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 746457m, N 899333m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.820469, -5.720946
As a preliminary stage to the Scotland to Northern Ireland Pipeline project, an access road 0.7km long was constructed from Browns Bay Rd. to the landfall site at Castle Robin, Skernaghan Point, Island Magee.
A watching brief was carried out by the writer, of the Glasgow University Archaeological Research Division, between 12 and 27 June 1995. The aim of this was to monitor topsoil stripping and excavate and record any archaeological features uncovered.
During this watching brief six small, roughly circular patches of charcoal, flint and clay were uncovered in two groups of three. These were partially excavated to determine their nature and depth. They ranged in diameter from 0.15m to 0.5m and were between 0.05m and 0.1m in depth. The flint collected from these features was flint-working debitage; however, one blade was recovered. The features were covered by terram and road gravel and have not been destroyed.
Worked flints were also collected from the stripped surface and stored topsoil of three fields. A preliminary study has suggested that they are Mesolithic/Neolithic in date.
139 Wilton St., Glasgow, G20 6DQ, Scotland
