County: Down Site name: A1 Bypass Scheme 2, junctions at Loughbrickland
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/07/191
Author: Deirdre Malone and Moira O’Rourke, for ADS Ltd, Unit 6, 21 Old Channel Road, Belfast, BT3 9DE.
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 714406m, N 846593m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.355156, -6.239931
DBFO Scheme 2 comprises the construction of four new junctions on the existing A1 between Hillsborough and Newry. These junctions are at Hillsborough (see No. 341 above), Dromore (see No. 336 above), Banbridge (see No. 320 above) and Loughbrickland. The areas were investigated under the one licence, AE/07/191, and allocated letters A–D to facilitate ease of discussion. Each area will be described separately, outlining the archaeology uncovered.
A previous extensive desk-based assessment was prepared by Faber Maunsell for the original environmental impact assessment for the proposed junctions and it revealed that no known Monuments and Buildings Record sites will be impacted upon directly by the proposed developments. With sites of archaeological and historical interest in the nearby environs, however, it was decided to conduct testing at the proposed junctions for significant previously undiscovered archaeological remains which may delay the construction programme.
Two deposits of archaeological potential and a field boundary were identified at Loughbrickland. Resolution of the deposits indicated that one was a tree bole and non-archaeological.
