County: Derry Site name: NEW BUILDINGS: Kittybane
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/05/91
Author: Chris Long, Gahan & Long Ltd.
Site type: Enclosure
Period/Dating: Early Medieval (AD 400-AD 1099)
ITM: E 641552m, N 912909m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.962105, -7.351166
It was proposed by New Buildings Historical Society to conduct a research excavation in Kittybane, New Buildings, to confirm the existence of a souterrain (LDY022–012) and to investigate the nature of the structure. Six test-trenches were excavated.
The excavated remains indicate the presence of a subsoil-cut ditch which appeared to enclose a natural raised area some 100m in diameter. The nature of the fills within the ditch would suggest that it was backfilled as part of a single event following abandonment of the site. This backfilling probably consisted of the dumping of bank material into the ditch. No surviving evidence of a bank was identified, but a gully that was also uncovered may represent some form of pre-bank construction, possibly acting as drainage for the bank structure.
No dating evidence was identified during the course of the excavation. However, given the perceived proximity of a souterrain, it is likely that the enclosure represents the remains of a substantial rath of Early Christian date.
Editor’s note: Although this licence was issued during 2005, the report on the work was not received in time for inclusion in the bulletin of that year.
7–9 Castlereagh Street, Belfast, BT5 4NE
