County: Down Site name: GROOMSPORT
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: Heather F. James, GUARD, Glasgow University
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 754118m, N 883293m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.674186, -5.610338
As a condition of planning consent for a residential development on a former caravan park at Groomsport, Donaghadee Road, Co. Down, a desktop study, archaeological evaluation and mitigation strategy were required. The desktop study noted that, while there were several archaeological sites in the vicinity of the development, there were no known sites within the development area. It was, however, thought possible that artefacts and features (including Viking graves) could be found within or beneath the windblown sand. The development site once formed part of a medieval rabbit warren, and an old sea road passed along the coastal edge. There was no evidence for structures occupying the site until the mid-19th century, when the Maxwell family constructed Groomsport House and its associated landscaped gardens. This involved rerouting the coastal road to the south. Because of coastal retreat, remains of the original road are unlikely to survive. A feature marked ‘Brick Hole’ within the site was a sand extraction pit, which had been backfilled in the past with unknown material. The mitigation strategy recommended the excavation of trial-trenches.
The trial-trenching was undertaken between 18 and 21 December 2000. Seven trenches were dug by machine and recorded. During the same period, an area designated for the construction of a building was stripped of topsoil, and trenches were dug for the foundations, all under supervision. Natural boulder clay subsoil was found at varying depths across the site. One trench contained a small, shallow ditch cut into subsoil, but this was undiagnostic in nature and did not contain any datable artefacts. Along the coastal edge the boulder clay was sealed by homogeneous windblown sand, which contained residual prehistoric flints. No old ground surface was seen. Modern disturbance consisted of several service trenches associated with the caravan park, some scarping of the site in one area and infilling of the sand extraction pit with modern debris.
The archaeological evaluation did not produce evidence for any significant archaeological features, and therefore no further work was recommended.
Gregory Building, Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow
