2010:029 - 4 Main Street, Crumlin, Antrim

This site was investigated as part of an archaeological mitigation strategy associated with the construction of a proposed Tesco store at 4 Main Street, Crumlin, Co. Antrim. The site is an irregularly shaped area measuring approximately 280m north to south by 100m west to east at its widest point comprising the former cattle market buildings and associated yard areas as well as the field to the south of the former cattle market. The proposed development is located within an archaeologically sensitive landscape with twenty recorded sites within a 1km radius. Several of the closest recorded sites are enclosures, and a Bronze Age burial complex lies 900m north-west (ANT059–172).
Two phases of evaluation were carried out prior to the archaeological excavations, under licence AE/08/125, by Lynsey Morton, Johanna Vuolteenaho and the writer (Excavations 2008, No. 26). These evaluations revealed predominantly post-medieval drainage features, with one sherd of possible Bronze Age pottery.
Following topsoil-stripping the site was divided into two areas, 1 and 2.
Area 1 lay towards the south of the proposed development site and measured 55 by 140m. This area was bound to the east by the railway line and to the west by the Crumlin Community Centre. There were a total of five large field boundaries/drainage features, three small drains and five isolated prehistoric features. One of these features, a pit, contained 10 sherds of Neolithic or Bronze Age pottery, three sherds of which showed decoration in the form of impressed cord, stab and incised decoration. This pottery has been recommended for further specialist analysis to determine its type and period.
Area 2 lay towards the north-east corner of the site and measured 30m by 35m. This area was bound to the east by the railway line and to the north by Main Street, Crumlin. The archaeology consisted of the ephemeral partial remains of the eastern side of a double-palisade subcircular enclosure. The outer palisade, if complete, would have encompassed a 30m diameter subcircular area. The inner palisade was formed by a series of six intercutting sections of narrow U- and V-shaped slot-trench of varying length forming an overall curvilinear feature of 18m in length. The width varied between 0.1m and 0.4m with a depth of between 0.05m and 0.2m. Although these curving sections were intercutting, they are likely to be associated with one phase of activity forming a subcircular enclosure. This inner palisade curved through an arc of approximately 135° from the south through to the north-west. Two sherds of un-decorated prehistoric pottery were recovered from this inner palisade as well as some flint debitage. The remains of the outer palisade lay 5m to the east of the inner palisade and comprised one short curving section of shallow V-shaped slot-trench which curved concentrically to the inner palisade. The maximum width of this outer palisade measured 0.12m, with a length of 4.6m and a maximum depth of 0.12m. Of the total of 27 archaeological features uncovered in the area between the two palisades, all located within a 5m by 10m area, there were nine pits/post-holes, three of which had associated stake-holes. One large feature here produced a sherd of undecorated prehistoric pottery similar in fabric to those sherds from the inner palisade. A rough flint thumb-scraper and a flint flake were also recovered from two post-holes in this area between the palisades. The remainder of the features were either modern and agricultural in origin or natural variations in the subsoil.