2011:018 - ARDMORE ROAD, CRUMLIN, Antrim

Four trenches were excavated in total, ranging from 45m to 35m in length. Only Trench 2 contained archaeological material. This consisted of two slightly curving features some 3.5m apart, comprising dark grey organic charcoal-flecked clay set against an orange silty clay subsoil. This trench was expanded, exposing a curving slot ranging from 0.3m to 0.5m in width.

The archaeological feature uncovered comprised two ditched features, C101 and C103, the westernmost of which, C103, comprised a 6m-long curving slot; the eastern trench, C101, comprised a 7m-long linear slot with a pit, C107, at its southern end. A gap of around 1m separated the southern ends of C101/107 and C103, while at the northern end C103 came to an abrupt stop more than 2.5m away from the western edge of C103. There was no evidence of truncation in this area, indicating that these two features were never contiguous.

Initially it was thought that the features uncovered were the remains of a building, though upon examination this appears unlikely, as the plan and form of the remaining features do not lend themselves to a stable structure. There were no internal features uncovered during investigation, nor any others outside. The 6m-long western slot, C103, was consistent with a wall slot, being curving, well defined and steep-sided in the main. The other slot, C101, was linear and filled with clay, which suggested anaerobic deposition, or at least severe waterlogging. This was not, however, indicated in slot C103. C101 was much wider and of a different form at its northern end than would be expected if it were a wall slot, though the southern portion does meet the expected criteria. Taken together, it does not seem that the slots were the remains of a single building. If it was a building, it would be expected to take the form of—or at least be comparable to—other structures of a similar nature from the expected period of construction, and this does not really seem to be the case.

It is considered that the archaeological features uncovered at Ardmore Road probably date from the Early Christian period and are probably associated with the rath (ANT058-025) less than 100m to the south-west. It is unfortunate that there was not enough charcoal to produce a radiocarbon date. Given this lack, and in the absence of artefactual evidence, it is not possible to confirm this hypothesis.

No. 18. Ardmore Road, Crumlin: post-excavation plan of site.

Northern Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, Farset Enterprise Park, 638 Springfield Road, Belfast BT12 7DY