County: Antrim Site name: BELFAST: Cotton Court, 41–43 Waring Street
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 61:20 Licence number: AE/01/77
Author: Eoin Halpin, ADS
Site type: Tannery
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 734022m, N 874495m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.600931, -5.925711
A programme of redevelopment and refurbishment was proposed for Cotton Court Warehouse, 41–43 Waring Street, Belfast, a component of which was archaeological investigations within the planned development area. It was proposed that these investigations would be carried out along the line of each of the intended foundation and service trenches as detailed in the architect’s plans. Each of these trenches was to be excavated by hand from the existing ground levels either to a depth where archaeologically sterile natural subsoil was uncovered or to the total depth of excavation beneath existing levels as outlined in the proposed development plans.
Initial results from the excavations suggest that the area contains slight evidence for 17th-century buildings fronting out onto Waring Street. However, most of the site appears to consist of a mixture of yards built on 18th-century made ground which overlies a series of pits, many of which would seem to be associated with local tanning works. As the work was only getting under way towards the end of the year and is ongoing at present, a more detailed report will be published in Excavations 2002.
Unit 48, Westlink Enterprise Centre, 30–50 Distillery Street, Belfast BT12 5BJ
