County: Tyrone Site name: Drumnafern, area 53
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/08/171
Author: Frank Mallon and Ingela Ericsson, for ADS Ltd, Unit 6, 21 Old Channel Road, Belfast, BT3 9DE.
Site type: Burnt mound, pits, well, stake-holes, wooden stakes, wooden vessel and wooden remains
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 475135m, N 575220m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 51.915109, -9.815076
This site was 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. Prehistoric activity, both settlement and ritual, is very poorly represented. Area 53 is situated in close proximity to several sites of archaeological interest, the nearest of which is a rath with a further two raths, a crannog and a bullaun stone also in the near vicinity.
Monitoring of topsoil-stripping initially identified a large burnt mound cut by two large linear features and a possible pit. The site was located in a low-lying and waterlogged area between Chainages 470 and 500, within section 4 (3A) of the road scheme.
Area 53 measured c. 25m by 40m, with the main part of the burnt-mound material concentrated in a central area measuring 16.8m east–west by 15.2m. The burnt mound had been truncated to the east by two north–south-running ditches, at least one of them of modern date, and a small modern drain to the west. A large pit was located in the easternmost part of the site, partially sealed by burnt-mound material. This feature was interpreted as a possible well and is most likely the earliest feature on-site.
During removal of the burnt-mound material a number of wooden features and a large pit were discovered. The broken remains of a large east–west linear wooden feature were located to the north, partially sealed by burnt-mound material. Excavation proved the feature to be a possible gangway, 6.95m long and 0.73m wide, comprising one large flat timber laid down to enable crossing boggy ground in the area. Several discarded pieces of oak timbers were located in the central parts of the site, sealed by the burnt-mound material.
The central and also lowest part of the site displayed a build-up of an alluvial deposit and an upper peat layer. A number of features were discovered within and underneath these natural materials. A large wooden vessel, placed within a subsoil cut, had been pegged into place and subsequently sealed by peat and burnt-mound material. A large pit surrounded by wooden stakes was located directly north-north-east of the wooden vessel and excavation of this feature revealed five worked wooden timbers lining the south-eastern edge of the pit. Approximately twenty wooden stakes with worked faceted ends had also been driven into the natural subsoil south of these timbers. Finds included a complete and a broken saddle quern, lithics and the wooden vessel.
