County: Antrim Site name: BALLYHARRY: St John’s Church
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 41:17 Licence number: AE/02/123
Author: Peter Moore, c/o Centre for Archaeological Fieldwork, School of Archaeology and Palaeoecology, Queen’s University
Site type: Church and Burial
Period/Dating: Post Medieval (AD 1600-AD 1750)
ITM: E 746280m, N 897970m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.808286, -5.724386
A small-scale excavation was undertaken at St John’s Church, Ballyharry, Islandmagee, from 18 to 20 December 2002. The church is close to the shore of Larne Lough and is thought to date to the late 16th century, with significant renovation having occurred in 1827–8. The church is undergoing a programme of restoration, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, which has involved the stripping of the interior of the church to facilitate the repointing and facing of its walls, the replacement of window lintels and the laying of a new floor.
During the lifting of the old floor, part of the central aisle collapsed and exposed a cavity containing human remains. An excavation was commissioned to investigate the cavity and its contents. This work identified that the cavity was a single grave-cut containing one articulated burial at the base, aligned east–west, with the head to the west. Situated above this primary burial was a disturbed burial, aligned east–west, with the head to the east. Five human skulls were also discovered within the grave-cut, associated with the disturbed second burial. In addition, a number of artefacts were discovered, including coffin nails, copper-alloy studs, iron coffin fittings and a possible base-metal coin. All human remains retrieved during the excavation will be analysed before being returned for reburial within the church.
Belfast, BT7 1NN
