County: Tyrone Site name: Armalughey, areas 13–15
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/08/62
Author: James McKee and Ingela Ericsson, for ADS Ltd, Unit 6, 21 Old Channel Road, Belfast, BT3 9DE.
Site type: Early Christian? penannular ditch, pits, post- and stake-holes
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 664003m, N 856822m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.455870, -7.012966
Areas 13–15 were located between Chainages 1190 and 1390. These areas were investigated as part of the proposed corridor improvements of the line of the A4 between Dungannon and Ballygawley where 15km of new road will be constructed. A total of 43 SMR sites lie within 500m of either side of the new road alignments. In general these sites date to the Early Christian period, with many raths, enclosures and a number of ecclesiastical sites represented. However, prehistoric activity, both settlement and ritual, is poorly represented.
Area 13 was located on a south-east-facing slope between Chainages 1190 and 1220 and was identified during the monitored stripping as an area containing seven possible archaeological features. These features all proved to be non-archaeological natural depressions and root activity.
Area 14 was located at Chainage 1290–1310, near the base of an east-facing slope prone to flooding. The site consisted of a shallow trough from a possible truncated burnt mound. A possible pit was found to be a non-archaeological natural depression.
Area 15 was located between Chainages 1360 and 1390. It measured c. 30m by 30m. The site was identified as being of potential archaeological significance during monitoring of topsoil-stripping when a curvilinear feature was uncovered measuring c. 50m in length by 1m wide and encompassing an area of 30m in diameter. Also uncovered at this stage were a number of possible pits.
Excavation revealed that the curvilinear feature was a penannular ditch. At least two pits were contained within this ditch. Also uncovered were a further six ditches, at least one of which was a field boundary ditch. There were also 4 spreads, 29 pits, 33 post-holes, 90 stake-holes, 5 linear features, 122 non-archaeological deposits and a plough furrow.
