2008:329 - Ardnavalley Park, Carnasure, Comber, Down

The works were part of a proposed housing development in the outskirts of Comber, on a site believed to lie within the early Plantation town of Comber. Phase 1a of monitoring was undertaken May to June 2007 (Excavations 2007, No. 391). Nothing of archaeological significance was uncovered.
Investigations commenced in May 2008 as part of Phase 1b of the site. This phase relates to investigations of the previous foundations of House Plot 8 and two small areas of topsoil-stripping in the extended garden of House Plot 1. Phase 1b included the monitoring of foundation trenches which cut through the original foundations and driveways of the previously demolished bungalows. The trenches measured 0.8m in width and had an average depth of between 1.5m and 0.5m in depth. They came onto a subsoil of moderately compact reddish-brown silty clay which was overlaid by rubble layers associated with the demolishing of the bungalows. Two other areas were excavated for the construction of a sewer pipe and another set of house foundations. Here the topsoil was removed revealing a subsoil of moderately friable yellow silty sand. One feature was uncovered which consisted of an isolated circular pit cut into the subsoil and measured 1.2m in diameter by 0.5m in depth. It contained dark charcoal-rich silty fills; however, no datable finds were recovered. Due to the nature of the site, the topsoil was periodically sieved throughout the on-site works. This produced a number of sherds of blackware, blue and white china and other sherds of post-medieval pottery. Archaeological works on-site are now complete.