2008:325 - A1 Scheme 1, Newry, Carnmeen – Site 5, Down

Located in Carnmeen townland, Co. Down, and between Chainage 3900 and 4150, this site was investigated during the construction of the new A1 Newry bypass. The pattern of cultural history for the region shows there has been intensive occupation right through from early times with known archaeological sites ranging from the Neolithic to mills which remained in use until only 100 years ago. Within Carnmeen townland there are a total of eight sites in the NISMR. Five of these are standing stones, two are sites identified from aerial photographs and the last is the Newry Canal.
Site 5 was located on the ridge overlooking the Newry River valley and the disused Newry Canal to the west. The ground sloped gently from the north to the south with much more extensive steeper slopes to both the east and west. A later prehistoric funerary site, it comprised two ring-ditches, two curvilinear ditches, eighteen pits and 23 post-holes. The larger of the two ring-ditches measured 8.5m in diameter. Burnt/cremated bone was recovered from the fill of both monuments. Site 5 also contained linear ditches, drains, pits and agricultural furrows related to later activity on the landscape.
To the immediate east of Site 5 there were two further archaeological sites, Sites 6 and 2, also uncovered during the construction of the road scheme. Site 6 was located at the base of the ridge and was overlooked by Site 5. It comprised numerous archaeological features of possible prehistoric origin. Site 2 consisted of a fulacht fiadh, several burnt spreads, numerous pits and a possible souterrain.