2009:229 - COOPER’S LAND, MILLMOUNT; PHASES 3 & 4, BALLYORAN/DUNDONALD, Down

Work began on this large-scale private housing development in June 2009. A total of nine areas were fully excavated with an additional area partially excavated. Twelve areas of archaeology remain unexcavated. Work ceased at this site in October 2009.
Area A was a collection of five pits and a single stake-hole with associated flint artefacts. A scattered group of six pits was uncovered in Area Bi. Sherds of carinated bowls were recovered from some of the
Postex aerial photograph of Area F (No. 229). pits. Area Bii has only been partially excavated. Excavation revealed a pair of concentric slot-trenches that are interpreted as the remains of a house, c. 15m in diameter. From details visible on the surface, it appeared that the structure had a central hearth and an internal wall-slot. The external slot-trench is currently interpreted as a ^drip-trench’ for conveying water away from the structure. Excavation and recording of the internal features is largely complete. These comprised several dozen stake-holes, the remains of various internal divisions and a number of structural post-holes. Approximately one-third of the enclosing elements have been excavated.
Area C consisted of a truncated wall slot with a large post-hole located at its eastern end. A possible hammerstone was recovered from the wall slot. Located to the north-west of the slot were two hearths with associated stake-holes. A total of 26 pits and three stake-holes were uncovered in Area D. A function has not yet been ascribed to these features. A significant quantity of cremated bone was recovered from one of the pits, suggesting a burial. Nine pits, two post-holes and a single stake-hole were uncovered in Area E. One of the pits produced cremated bone, possibly suggesting a burial.
Area F contained the remains of a complex circular earthwork composed of three intercutting ditches that encircled the highest point on the site – a low hill. The middle ditch appeared to have been the initial construction. Following the (possibly deliberate) backfilling of this ditch, the inner and outer ditches were constructed as a single event. The features enclosed by this succession of ditches are a complex of pits and post-holes, many of which produced cremated bone. At present, it is thought that this feature was a large barrow monument.
The archaeological remains in Area Gi centre on a small, circular, post-built house (c. 4m in diameter). Finds from this feature are of the Late Neolithic period and include decorated pottery and various flint tools including a plano-convex knife. Other features in the vicinity, mostly non-structural pits, produced items of similar style and date, though a number of features have produced finer quality pottery, attributable to the Early Neolithic.
Area H contained nine pits, one hearth and two amorphous spreads of soil. Although these features could not be rationalised into a viable structure, they represent activity in the prehistoric period. In particular, the recovery of a sherd of distinctive Beaker pottery indicates a date spanning from the Late Neolithic into the Early Bronze Age.
The remaining areas of archaeological interest appear to be scatters of small features, apart from Area R, which includes the remains of a post-medieval mill and related features located in the south-western corner of the development site. Two linear features, one of which is possibly the mill-race, were also uncovered. The second linear feature appears to be a field boundary, or possibly an earlier mill-race.