County: Antrim Site name: MALLUSK: Hightown Road, Phase 1A
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 56:41, 42 and 48 Licence number: —
Author: Cia McConway, ADS Ltd.
Site type: Habitation site
Period/Dating: Bronze Age (2200 BC-801 BC)
ITM: E 729923m, N 881994m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.669332, -5.985783
Monitoring of topsoil-stripping was carried out before a large housing development. A desk-top survey had revealed that the development is within an archaeologically sensitive zone, with a man-made mound at Ballywonard td, the unlocated sites of a medieval chapel and a fortification at Ballyvaston, and an enclosure at Ballybought.
Although no evidence of these unlocated sites was found, a curving gully filled with a charcoal-rich soil and containing Early Bronze Age pottery and worked flint was encountered and excavated. The gully, when currently viewed in its isolation, indicates the presence of Early Bronze Age archaeological activity of a probable settlement nature. It is likely that, once stripping commences in the areas immediately adjacent to this phase, i.e. in Phases 2A and 2B, this feature will be better placed in a prehistoric landscape.
No other features of archaeological significance were found.
Unit 48, Westlink Enterprise Centre, 30–50 Distillery Street, Belfast BT12 5BJ
