2009:064 - KILLUNEY PARK ROAD, ARMAGH, Armagh

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Armagh Site name: KILLUNEY PARK ROAD, ARMAGH

Sites and Monuments Record No.: ARM012–045 Licence number: AE/09/65

Author: Johanna Vuolteenaho and Warren Bailie, Archaeological Development Services Ltd, Unit 6, 21 Old Channel Road, Belfast, BT3 9DE.

Site type: Multi-period occupation

Period/Dating:

ITM: E 689171m, N 846055m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.355362, -6.628183

Investigations took place at a housing development located in the fields off Killuney Park Road. The development will consist of 147 detached and semidetached houses with access leading from Linsey’s Heights from the north and Killuney Park Road from the east. The excavation area of the site comprised only Phase 1 of the proposed development, as only a proportion of the houses were due to be constructed at this stage. The 2009 excavation area was located within Field 3 and comprised house plots 41–57 as well as the associated access roads and garden areas. There are six archaeological sites within a 1.5km radius of the site. One, an ecclesiastical site, is located within the boundaries of the site. Although its exact location is not yet known, it has been tentatively located within Field 3, in the south-west half of the site.
Fieldwork commenced in early May 2009 with the monitoring of nine geotechnical test-pits excavated across the site, followed by the monitoring of the topsoil removal during May and June. The subsequent excavation took place between June and September 2009 and was divided on site into three areas. Area 1 comprised the central part of the development site, Area 2 was located east of Area 1 and Area 3 comprised the western half of the site. Several distinct phases of archaeological activity were identified and these phases can be further subdivided.
Prehistoric activity
At the eastern extent of the site within Area 2 a large number of features, pits, post-and stake-holes were identified, from which Neolithic pottery and worked flint were recovered. To the immediate east of the access road, an alignment of post-holes, stake-holes and a linear slot have been interpreted as being part of a possible Neolithic house structure, subrectangular in shape and measuring 8.5m by 5m.
Ecclesiastical early medieval activity
Two parallel and enclosing ditches were uncovered running for some 110m across the site and extending into the unstripped baulk to the south. The two ditches run roughly east–west across Area 1. Further east, within the south-west corner of Area 2, the ditches start making a wide turn towards the south. Similarly, the ditches turn widely southwards further west in Area 3. The ditches measured 1.5–2m wide and over 1m deep in places. The ditches respect one another and at least the last phases of each ditch are thought to have been contemporary. An earlier ditch was encountered below the outer ditch and may represent an earlier phase of the same enclosure. It is likely that the parallel ditches represent the northern extent of a large enclosure, which was only partially exposed during the 2009 excavations. The ditches may represent the outer boundaries of an ecclesiastical site known to have existed somewhere within the site. Pottery dating from the early medieval period has been recovered from these ditches
Secular early medieval activity
Part of the enclosing ditch of a rath was uncovered in Area 1. Preliminary investigations on the ditch confirmed the date from the pottery recovered – souterrain ware. This area of the site is to lie within a green area (Openspace 2) and will not be developed. Therefore, the investigations in this area were very brief and features were preserved in situ.
Further west two ring-ditches located on a westerly slope in Area 3 were excavated. The ring-ditches partially overlie one another and have an internal diameter of 11m. A third ring-ditch was encountered c. 20m west of these. Although ring-ditches are generally dated to the Bronze Age, the ring-ditches encountered at Killuney Park appear to be early medieval in date. The two intercutting ditches cut into, and are later than, the parallel enclosure ditches. Furthermore, early medieval pottery was recovered from the ring-ditches. Several features showing evidence of in situ burning may be associated with the ring-ditches.
Evidence of pitting activity was also apparent throughout the site. The majority of the pits were fairly substantial and filled largely with redeposited natural. These have been interpreted as possible quarry pits and seem to be concentrated in areas where clean secondary clay deposits are present. Early medieval pottery has been found associated with many of the quarry pits.

The townland, Killuney, indicates an ecclesiastical site in the locality. The nature of the ditches suggests that they were not defensive but rather marked out an extensive property. This is typical of early medieval ecclesiastical sites – indeed the double ditch, which has parallels with the two Sees at Tallaght and Finglas, may even suggest that this site was high status in its day. If so, it is very likely that a burial-ground, houses and industrial activity survive subsurface within the unstripped area.
Further fieldwork will be undertaken in advance of future phases of the development on the site.