2009:231 - CENTRAL AVENUE, BANGOR, Down

An archaeological evaluation on lands to the rear of 15–33 Central Avenue, Bangor, took place in November 2009. The proposed development entails the demolition of the extant vacant units and the construction of 47 apartments, two general-needs family accommodation and associated landscaping.
Archaeological evidence suggests that the area of Bangor has been inhabited since prehistoric times, with four archaeological sites within a 1km radius of the development; i.e. the historic settlement of Bangor (DOW002–039), the old Customs House of 1637 (DOW002–003), Cross Hill (DOW002–027) and Bangor Abbey (DOW002–002), a monastery founded in the 6th century and one of the best-documented monasteries in Ireland after Armagh. The development site is located on the west-facing slope of a hill which cartographic evidence suggested was not developed until comparatively recently. Much of the site has been terraced and the present ground level varies greatly on site.
Seven trenches were excavated across the site. The results of the evaluation have shown that, although modern disturbance on site has been severe, especially in the southern half, archaeological cut features survive below the modern overburden in the northern part of the site. The observed features comprise two post-holes encountered in Trench 3 and a circular pit/post-pit encountered in Trench 7. The features are as yet undated as no readily datable material was noted in any of the upper fills during the evaluation. The features in both trenches were sealed by post-medieval accumulation of silty garden soil material and subsequent modern overburden.
No archaeological deposits or features were noted within the southern half of the site, where ground reduction and further modern disturbance has been greater in the past.