2012:023 - CARN HILL, Antrim

The proposed development is located on Carn Hill in Newtownabbey, County Antrim and consists of a sub-rectangular area of ground measuring approximately 2.5km west to east by 1.5km at its widest point. It is proposed to develop a wind farm on the site consisting of six turbines, a substation building and a metrological pole. Other works will include the extension and upgrading of existing internal site tracks while a temporary site compound will be created for the duration of the construction works.
There are 22 recorded archaeological sites within the vicinity of the proposed development. Two of these sites (ANT052-121 and ANT052-120) are located within the proposed development with a further three located adjacent to its boundaries.
Monitoring of groundworks occurred during January and February 2012 with 9 areas of archaeological remains being uncovered. These were fully excavated and post-excavation analysis is ongoing.
Areas 1-4 comprised of a series of small pits, although in Area 4 a cache of 28 struck flint was recovered.
Area 5 comprised the partially uncovered remains of a roundhouse. This extended beyond the stripped area although extrapolation of the exposed remains indicates that the house would be at least 6m in diameter, defined by a 0.3m-wide curving slot trench which contained traces of packing stones. No entrances were uncovered nor were there any internal features found within the excavated portion of the roundhouse. Other than a few pieces of struck but unworked flint no artifacts were found within the wall slot.
Area 6 contained the remains of a small ring ditch measuring 3m across internally. The ring ditch varied in width and depth but was on average 0.4m wide by 0.3m deep. At the centre of the ring ditch a single cremation was uncovered. Lying 12m to the west two further cremations were found, lying 1m apart. The smaller cremation had originally been placed within an upright urn although truncation resulted in only the basal elements of this flat base vessel surviving. The second large cremation had been placed in a wide though shallow pit.
In Area 8 the archaeological remains comprised of a large pit which extended beyond the limits of the site. This seemingly circular pit measured 5.5m in width and had been dug into subsoil to a depth of at least 1.25m. Due to the depth it was not possible to fully excavate the pit which was filled mainly with layers of loose sandy gravels. No artifacts were recovered.
Area 7 comprised the remains of a small rectangular pit and a number of agricultural features.
The final area, Area 9, consisted of the remains of a small industrial area with evidence for flint working presumed to be related to the processing of animal carcasses. As well as a small curving windbreak-type structure, several large pits and a spread, roughly 800 fragments of struck flint were recovered within an area approximately 8m across. Included among these were 100 flint scrapers, almost all convex scrapers, several cores and fragments of blades. A small amount of prehistoric pottery was also recovered.
In the absence of post-excavation analysis and radiocarbon dating the precise date for the activity uncovered at Carn Hill is unknown. However based on the flint and pot remains it is speculated that the main archaeological deposits relate to Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age activity on the site.

Archaeological Development Services, 96 University Street, Belfast, BT7 1HE