2008:053 - Quarter Road, Carrickcroppan, Armagh

The proposed development concerns the construction of a new housing development off Quarter Road, to the north of Camlough in Co. Armagh. The development will consist of nineteen new dwellings which will require access, services, drainage and landscaping. The proposed development is located within an archaeologically sensitive landscape, with 26 recorded sites within a 2km radius. One of the sites, ARM026–033, is located within the boundaries of the development and had been identified from an aerial photograph during the site evaluation as a possible rath. Another rath, ARM026–011, is located c. 500m west-south-west of the site. The village of Camlough, located c. 0.5km south of the development, has been designated as an area of archaeological potential by Northern Ireland Environment Agency: Built Heritage. The rest of the sites are located further away, with the majority to the east. The remaining four are mills and are located in a cluster south of Main Street and the Camlough River in the village of Camlough.
The evaluation took place in May 2008. The site is an irregularly shaped area measuring c. 202m north–south by 157m at its widest point. It occupies a ridge running north to south and consists of good agricultural land currently used for grazing. The central portion of the site consists of the crest of the ridge, although this area will be left undeveloped. ARM026–033 is located within this area.
Fourteen trenches were excavated across the site down to undisturbed natural deposits consisting of yellowish-brown slightly silty sandy clay with frequent small to medium stone and gravel inclusions. Natural deposits were encountered between 0.25m and 0.55m below the present ground level. Erosion, or hill slide, was more notable in the higher areas of site, where the overlying topsoil was thinner. Accumulation of topsoil in the lower areas was visible within the trenches. The encountered archaeological features were not fully excavated at this stage and were left in situ in order to avoid unnecessary disturbance to the deposits.
Although erosion was more noticeable in the higher areas of the site, archaeological cut features survive across the site. Many of the features, such as the possible field furrows and ditches, are likely to be agricultural in origin and character. In addition, the location of the enclosing ditch associated with the rath was identified as a feature some 4m wide. Several features associated with the rath were also uncovered.
It is anticipated that a further phase of archaeological work will be undertaken on this site in advance of the proposed development.