County: Antrim Site name: BELFAST: Gordon Street
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 61:17 Licence number: AE/01/12
Author: Cia Mc Conway, ADS
Site type: Building and Town defences
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 734322m, N 874595m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.601749, -5.921027
This site was investigated as part of the ongoing street improvement scheme of the Cathedral Quarter in Belfast. In order to facilitate some street art and trees, a trench (12m north–south by 6m) was opened and the modern overburden mechanically removed. Two stone and mortar walls were uncovered, one running north–south and the second east–west. The junction of these walls lay beyond the limit of excavation, but it is presumed that they met at a right angle and were part of the same structure. To the north of the second wall was a spread of soft, organic-smelling brown/grey clay. Initial investigation showed this to be the upper fill of an east–west linear feature, 2.5m wide, which has been tentatively identified as part of the 17th-century town ditch.
Pottery recovered from the foundation cut of the second wall would indicate that it dates from the 19th century and therefore is likely to be part of a warehouse, as suggested by cartographic evidence. Organic material within the ditch was likely to dry out owing to the location of the proposed trees and therefore, following negotiations between the developer and DOE:EHS, the feature was allowed to remain in situ and the trees relocated.
Unit 48, Westlink Enterprise Centre, 30–50 Distillery Street, Belfast BT12 5B
