1996:002 - BALLYDOWN, Antrim

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Antrim Site name: BALLYDOWN

Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number:

Author: Norman Crothers, Archaeological Development Services Ltd.

Site type: House - Neolithic, Hut site, Enclosure, Mound and Habitation site

Period/Dating: Multi-period

ITM: E 743020m, N 900890m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.835436, -5.773604

Introduction-Belfast Transmission Pipeline
The Phoenix Natural Gas Ltd Belfast Transmission Pipeline runs through 27km of County Antrim from Ballylumford power station to a site at Trooperslane, south of Carrickfergus, to supply natural gas to the north Belfast area. During the spring and summer of 1996 the soil-stripping along the pipeline route was monitored and several excavations resulted. Amongst the discoveries made were two Neolithic houses, found in the same townland; a Mesolithic occupation site and several prehistoric burnt mounds; and a medieval ditch which seemed to form part of a massive enclosure, at the centre of which is a mound thought by certain sources to be prehistoric and by others to be Anglo-Norman. See also below, Nos. 3, 5, 6, 10 and 11.

It should be stressed that the discovery of these important archaeological sites is due entirely to the construction of the natural gas pipeline, without which there would have been no indication whatsoever of their existence. None had been identified from analysis of aerial photographs or by field-walking prior to topsoil-stripping. The richness and diversity of the sites recovered indicate the fundamental importance of pipeline-monitoring and will significantly add to our knowledge of settlement patterns in this part of Antrim, particularly for the earlier prehistoric period.

Ballydown-multiperiod site
In Ballydown townland at the northern end of Island Magee, a substantial area of multiperiod occupation was uncovered (Site 1A, Ballydown), the earliest phase of which dated to the Mesolithic. It was positioned on a sloping hillside some 40m from the present shoreline, with a panoramic view westwards across Larne Lough.

The later Mesolithic period was represented by chipping floors, a possible hut site, a possible hearth and several pits. An abundance of artefacts were recovered, including mud-stone axes, butt-trimmed flints, single-platform cores, finely retouched blades and hammerstones.

Traces of Neolithic activity were also uncovered, and overlying the Mesolithic occupation several features dating to the Bronze Age were identified. These consisted of a subcircular gully, two overlapping burnt mounds, a trough and two arcs of kerbstones. Flint artefacts, saddle querns and several sherds of Late Bronze Age pottery were recovered from these features.

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