County: Tyrone Site name: MULLANAHOE: Ardboe GFC, Ardboe
Sites and Monuments Record No.: TYR040–016 Licence number: AE/04/154
Author: Stefanie McMullen, Archaeological Development Services Ltd.
Site type: Habitation site
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 693531m, N 874896m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.613638, -6.552010
Monitoring was carried out on behalf of Ardboe GFC relating to the development of a new Gaelic football pitch. The site is located c. 3km west of the shore of Lough Neagh, 150m south of the Kilmascally road in Mullanahoe townland. During the monitoring process, three areas of potential archaeology were noted located at the base of the west-east-sloping field, consisting primarily of two circular enclosing ditches and an area to the north containing a large number of features, which have been interpreted as pits. The enclosing ditches were substantial, spanning a diameter of c. 14m and 16–18m and a width of 0.5m and 0.9m. Several pits/post-holes (including a possible central hearth/post-hole) were also found within the interior of the enclosures and are probably associated. A number of pits were also uncovered outside the structures.
It was decided to raise the formation level of the site in order that these deposits could be preserved in situ below a layer of sand and geotextile. As a result, no further investigation of the deposits was undertaken other than those during the monitoring phase.
Whilst monitoring of topsoil removal was being carried out a small number of deposits (pits/postholes outside of and within the area to the north of the enclosures) were investigated. Pottery recovered from these deposits suggests that they are prehistoric in date, ranging from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age periods.
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