County: Armagh Site name: MAGHERY CUT, Maghery Country Park
Sites and Monuments Record No.: IHR 5:1&2 Licence number: AE/06/40
Author: Jo Kovacik, ADS Ltd.
Site type: Bridge
Period/Dating: Modern (AD 1750-AD 2000)
ITM: E 688829m, N 861880m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.497579, -6.628693
Monitoring was required in advance of a development which relates to a proposed replacement bridge linking the Maghery Road to Derrywarragh Island, Maghery, Co. Armagh.
During topsoil removal, subsurface archaeological deposits consisting of two wall foundations and a cobbled yard/path were uncovered along the east bank. The first- to third-edition OS maps show an L-shaped building at this location, which may represent a house and outbuilding. As the development would not entail any further subsurface reduction in this area, it was recommended that the remains be covered with a layer of sand prior to being covered by stone hardcore.
No archaeological deposits or artefacts were noted during piling work for the new bridge, but three wooden posts were noted within the canal during removal of the then standing bridge, built in 1940. As the earliest crossing structure at the site dates to the 19th century, it would appear that these posts date to no earlier than this.
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