2009:193 - GORTEEN HOUSE HOTEL, LIMAVADY, Derry

The proposed scheme will involve the construction of a housing development on seven adjoining fields which surround the Gorteen House Hotel on the southern outskirts of Limavady. The proposed development lies within an archaeologically sensitive area with eleven known archaeological sites situated within a 1.5km radius of the proposed development. Of the known sites, one (LDY009–013), an enclosure with trees, is situated within the actual boundaries of the proposed development.+The views are good all around from the site location, and NIEA: Built Heritage judged the location as being very suitable sites for a rath.
A series of 171 test-trenches, each measuring 2m in width, were excavated during January 2009 using a tracked back-acting machine with a smooth-edged bucket. The total length of the trenches excavated measured c. 11.5km.
A total of 76 archaeological features were uncovered during the site evaluation. The features included groups of post-and stake-holes with some showing evidence of in situ burning. There were also three circular cremation pits, two partial curved structures and a linear feature of at least 20m in length containing a body sherd of prehistoric pottery, possibly Bronze Age in date.
Three of the seven fields, Fields 1, 5 and 7, each contained a significant number of archaeological deposits. No deposits were recorded in Field 4, while only twelve deposits in total were recorded in Fields 2, 3 and 6.

In Field 1, the deposits lie in two clusters, one in the middle of the field, the other in the north-east of the field, both along the centreline trench. Although no finds were recovered from the features in Field 1, based on the location and nature of these they are likely to be prehistoric in date.
The relative+ lack of archaeological deposits uncovered in Fields 2–4 may have been due in part to both the imported made ground where areas had been artificially raised and the disturbance caused by field drainage.
In Field 5 the test-trenching revealed a particular concentration of archaeological deposits in the southwest area. This was in the form of post-holes in a paired line leading north-west beyond the trench end. Aside from this concentration, archaeological deposits were located dotted around the field, with a second, less concentrated area in the northern area of the field. It was noted that the location of the deposits biased towards the ridges and their slopes with no archaeology uncovered along the central north-west to south-east hollow between the two ridges found in this field.
The archaeology in Field 6 took the form of two clusters and an isolated pit. One of these clusters of three features showed evidence of cremation in two of the features. This funerary practice is generally associated with Bronze Age activity.
A cremation pit was found in Field 7, in the vicinity of a line of possible post-holes, with a second line of possible post-holes towards the western edge of the field. These two areas of structural evidence, coupled with a linear feature containing prehistoric pottery covering at least 20m in a south-east/northwest direction between the two clusters of posts, suggests a link between the two areas. This and the presence of cremations in both Fields 6 and 7 indicate prehistoric burials with the potential for contemporary occupation of the two areas in the Bronze Age. The archaeological deposits in Field 7 seem to adhere to the line of the ridge with no deposits recorded on the lower slope to the east.
The evidence collated from the test-trenches suggests the presence of Bronze Age domestic and funerary practices on the site.