County: Antrim Site name: HILLHEAD, Magheralave
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/00/16
Author: Alan Reilly, NAC
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 726524m, N 866647m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.532387, -6.045064
This monitoring was before the installation of a telecommunications transmitter at a greenfield site that lay at 200m OD at Hillhead, in the townland of Magheralave. The site was located in the south-west corner of a wedge-shaped field, adjoining another field that contained a ringfort (SMR 64:21). The development site was 40m south-south-west of the ringfort.
This monument was the remains of an impressive, slightly raised, univallate rath. Even allowing for hidden elements, such as former multivallation (not indicated) or souterrains, the development site seemed beyond the area of any possible former major components of the ringfort. The actual development involved an area 10m by 10m being excavated to differing depths into the ground surface. This would have destroyed all but the most substantial archaeological features.
A test-trench was mechanically excavated to the surface of the subsoil in order to check if there was any surviving stratigraphy. None was noted, making manual excavation unnecessary. Monitored topsoil-stripping then took place. The entire plot was stripped down, in a gradual manner, to the surface of the subsoil using a mini-digger with a smooth-edged bucket. No archaeological features or finds were recovered.
Unit 6, Farset Enterprise Park, 638 Springfield Road, Belfast
