2010:027 - Connor, Antrim

This evaluation relates to a proposed extension to the existing Braefield Nursing Home located at Nos 2–6 Carncome Road, Connor, Kells, in County Antrim. The current nursing home consists of an original building annexed to a new main building which was built in 2007. The current development will see an extension built on to the north-facing elevation of the nursing home. This extension will house 24 bedrooms plus bathrooms, day rooms, activity rooms and ancillary rooms. The area around the proposed extension will also be developed with provision for twelve car-parking spaces and a range of gardens are to be constructed.
The proposed development is located in an archaeologically sensitive area with five recorded sites located within the immediate vicinity. These are all associated with the religious centre of Connor with the closest to the proposed development, ‘The Trench’ (ANT038–031), a revetted mound that was possibly a fortified religious house associated with the Anglo-Norman bishops who resided at Connor after the establishment of the earldom of Ulster in the early 13th century.
Additionally, monitoring of topsoil-stripping associated with the previous phase of development at the nursing home in 2006 uncovered a large north–south-orientated ditch running across the footprint of the proposed building and carpark (see also Excavations 2007, No. 39, for work by Lynsey Morton, ADS Ltd). This exposed section of ditch measured 46m long by 4m at its widest point. It was approximately straight apart for a slight dogleg from east to west. Seven box-sections were excavated by hand through the ditch and these found that the ditch was deeper towards the south measuring approximately 0.85m deep though became shallower to the north and was truncated by modern disturbance. Two pieces of medieval pottery were recovered from the uppermost fill of the ditch.
The current proposed extension is located to the immediate north of the previous development and there was the possibility that the line of the ditch could continue into this area, or indeed, that other archaeological features could be uncovered.
Three test-trenches were excavated on 27 and 28 April 2010. The trenches were orientated west to east and ran parallel to the existing extension. The two trenches closest to the existing extension revealed modern disturbance with the original ground level within the west of the trenches reduced to subsoil and then raised with imported fill material including builders’ debris. This disturbance was up to 2m deep in places and probably relates to the construction of the original Nursing Home. Natural topsoil overlying subsoil was uncovered within the east extent of these trenches though the original ground level within this area had been raised with fill material laid over topsoil. The third trench was located close to the north extent of the site in an area containing mature tree growth. The ground within this area showed no signs of modern disturbance though disturbance had been caused by vegetation.
Nothing of archaeological significance was noted during the evaluation.