County: Derry Site name: Kittybane, New Buildings
Sites and Monuments Record No.: - Licence number: 241610 412921
Author: Chris Long, Gahan & Long Ltd, 7–9 Castlereagh Street, Belfast, BT5 4NE.
Site type: Enclosure
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 641552m, N 912909m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.962105, -7.351166
AE/05/91
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.
