2006:53 - CARRICKFERGUS: Town Hall, Antrim

Carrickfergus Borough Council commissioned archaeological investigations at Carrickfergus Town Hall in advance of redevelopment. The excavations uncovered substantial wall foundations dating from the early post-medieval period which cut through an earlier burial-ground, from which nineteen skeletons were excavated. Whilst most of these were adults, three younger individuals were represented, suggesting that it was a burial-ground used by the local population and not exclusively by the nearby Franciscan friary. The skeletons have been tentatively dated to the early post-medieval period (i.e. after AD1600), but the recovery of one piece of medieval pottery from the fill of one of the graves might suggest that the burials date to as early as the 13th–14th centuries. This will be clarified with further analysis and 14C dating.

Cutting through the burials were a number of substantial wall foundations, representing at least one building in what is now the courtyard. In general the walls were constructed of limestone blocks bonded with a lime mortar, with some red-brick fragments within their rubble cores. The presence of red brick suggests a date of no earlier than the 17th century for these and they may even represent the foundations of Joymount House, built 1608–1610 by Sir Arthur Chichester, then Lord Deputy of Ireland. This building was in use until 1779, when the county jail and courthouse was constructed here. Post-excavation analysis is ongoing.

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