County: Derry Site name: BISHOPSGATE, Coleraine
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 7:19 Licence number: —
Author: Cia McConway, Archaeological Development Services Ltd.
Site type: Religious house - Dominican friars
Period/Dating: Late Medieval (AD 1100-AD 1599)
ITM: E 684593m, N 932283m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 55.130685, -6.673508
The site is bounded to the north by Bridge Street, to the west by Hanover Place, to the east by Abbey Street and to the south by a modern housing development.
Excavations have revealed the basal remains of a substantial stone structure, running north-south, in the western area of the site. It can be assumed that the structure is part of St Mary's Dominican Priory, founded in the 13th century. Human burials have been excavated along the eastern and northern areas of the site.
Testing in the north-western corner of the site, along the junction of Hanover Place and Bridge Street, uncovered a wooden structure 5–6m long, most probably a short quay or jetty. Small areas of wicker were also uncovered, suggesting the location of fish traps. Pottery recovered from the riverine clay adhering to the timber dates to the early medieval period. Upslope, to the east of this along Bridge Street, a small portion of a ditch has survived and may have been part of the ecclesiastical enclosure. Excavations are still ongoing.
Unit 48, Westlink Enterprise Centre, 30–50 Distillery Street, Belfast BT12 5BJ
