2006:25 - Finvoy Road, Ballymoney, Antrim

As part of the planning permission sought to construct domestic housing off the Finvoy Road, south-west of Ballymoney, Co. Antrim, a requirement for archaeological mitigation was raised by the Department of Regional Development, Built Heritage. Initially it consisted of monitoring the removal of topsoil in two strips to the south and west of the site. At the extreme north-west of the stripped area a curvilinear band of what appeared to be dark soil was uncovered. As the feature was found at the very limit of the current phase of development, it could only be partially excavated.
Excavation showed it to be a curvilinear ditch enclosing an interior 25m south-west/north-east by 12.84m north-north-west/south-south-east. No features were noted within the enclosed area. The ditch had a maximum width of 2m and a depth of 0.65–0.8m. The cut of the ditch was sharply defined and quite steep, especially the inner face. The cut was filled by several layers and deposits, interpreted as showing different episodes in the life of the ditch, including periods of having standing water, filling with slumped material from its sides and eventual deliberate infilling. An entrance causeway, 3.6m long by 2.7m wide, was revealed in the south-east arc of the ditch, with possibly another partially uncovered at the north-west limit of excavation. Bronze Age pottery was retrieved from several of the ditch fills. Twenty samples were taken from various fills within the ditch from which a 14C date of 800–420 cal bc (2750–2370 cal bp) was returned. These results, along with the pottery, suggest that the structure dates from the Late Bronze Age and may be an enclosure or a barrow. The limited nature of the excavation makes it difficult to be certain. Further excavation is required.