County: Derry Site name: 2-92 Circular Road and 168-176 Creggan Heights, Creggan, Derry
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/11/15
Author: Christopher J. Farrimond
Site type: Testing
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 644243m, N 916776m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.996612, -7.308575
Pre-development test trenching was undertaken at a proposed development site at lands to the rear of Nos 2-92 Circular Road and 168-176 Creggan Heights, Creggan, Derry (Ballymagowan townland) from 7 March–1 April 2011. The works undertaken relate to a Planning Application for the development of the site for general needs social housing with vehicular access from the cul-de-sac of Nos 86-100 (evens) Circular Road and for the provision of an associated urban country park providing park land, pathways, shelter belts, community allotments and landscaping.
A total of c. 4,600m of linear trenching was excavated under supervision within the area of proposed invasive groundworks. Removal of topsoil, Bitmac surfaces and sub-base deposits associated with the former playground area and surrounding green space within Test Trenches 1.01–1.13 revealed undisturbed natural subsoil at a depth of 0.2–0.3m. Removal of topsoil and overburden associated with landscaping of the playground area to the immediate west, during the excavation of Test Trenches 1.14–1.17, revealed natural subsoil at a depth of 0.4–1.2m. Within the area of the existing Bitmac-surfaced football pitches, overburden associated with the leveling of the area were deepest at north-east (c. 2.45m) and shallowest at south-west (0.15m) within the area of the pitches, as necessitated by the surrounding topography. Within the area of the landscaped playing pitch, undisturbed natural subsoil was identified at a depth of 0.45–2.25m and was overlain by overburden deposits associated with the landscaping of the area. Overburden deposits were deepest at north-east and shallowest at south-west within the area of the pitch, as determined by the surrounding topography.
Throughout the remainder of the site, undisturbed natural subsoil was identified at a depth of 0.25–0.45m and was directly overlain by topsoil. Plough furrows were noted at discrete locations across the site and a number of field drains were noted within the low-lying portion of the site.
No previously unidentified archaeological features, remains or deposits were identified during archaeological evaluation works at the site.
Editor’s note: Although excavated during 2011, the report on this site arrived too late for inclusion in the bulletin of that year.
FarrimondMacManus Ltd, 150 Elmvale, Culmore, Derry BT48 8SL
