2004:0058 - MALLUSK: Mayfield Village Final Phase, Hydepark Road, Antrim

Monitoring was carried out in November 2004, relating to the final phase of a housing development in Mallusk. During the monitoring of topsoil removal for this phase of the development, a small number of deposits were uncovered, but these did not produce any dating evidence. Within the eastern field, located approximately 61m south-west from the northern boundary and 12.5m from the original dividing hedgerow, the removal of topsoil revealed the remains of two pits cutting into subsoil. The first of these was subcircular in shape and measured 0.84m north-east/south-west by 0.94m by 0.14m deep and was filled by loose, dark-black clayey loam with frequent large lumps of charcoal, also with occasional fine plant roots throughout the fill. Within this deposit were fairly large sub-angular stones measuring 0.2m in size on average. No finds were present within the fill. The second feature was subrectangular in shape with rounded corners, measuring 1.6m north-south by 0.9m by 0.2m deep. It was filled by loose mid-greyish-brown sandy clay with frequent stones measuring 0.05-0.2m in size, and occasional charcoal flecks. No finds were present within the fill.

During the previous phases of topsoil-stripping for the Mayfield development monitored by Eoin Halpin (Excavations 2002, No. 24, AE/02/67), several features of archaeological interest were uncovered and excavated. These included a small curving gully, from which Early Bronze Age pottery and worked flint were recovered, and the truncated remains of a burnt mound, or fulacht fiadh, made up of charcoal and heat-shattered stone, with a large pit located below, probably a trough.

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