County: Derry Site name: COLERAINE: 25–27 New Row
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/03/43
Author: Stephen J. Linnane, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: Well and Pit
Period/Dating: Post Medieval (AD 1600-AD 1750)
ITM: E 684933m, N 932183m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 55.129729, -6.668209
The 19th-century buildings previously occupying the site had already been demolished by the time of the assessment. A machine was used to remove overburden and excavate three test-trenches. The trenches indicated the survival of archaeological features and a full excavation was undertaken.
The foundations of 19th-century buildings were revealed along with an associated drainage system. No traces of the foundations of 17th-century buildings, as depicted on the plan prepared by Nicholas Pinnar in 1619, were found. However, a well was revealed constructed of unbonded rounded stone with an internal diameter of c. 0.75m. Only the upper part of the shaft was excavated and the finds would indicate that it went out of use in the mid-19th century, at the time of the construction of the buildings which had until recently occupied the site. The well will not be disturbed by the new development and lower deposits within the shaft will be preserved in situ. It is possible that well-preserved archaeological deposits survive at the base of the shaft. A cluster of pits with good collections of bone and pottery dating to c. 1700 was also excavated. The majority of the pottery was imported from England and continental Europe. Similar collections have been seen at nearby excavations.
The pits and the well attest to occupation of the site in the 17th century. The lack of contemporary foundations on the site would probably be explained by the method of construction, involving pre-fabricated timber frames which would not require significant foundations. No evidence for medieval occupation of the site was noted.
Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth
