2012:179 - 30-32 Main Street, Hilltown, Down

The proposed development is located at Nos. 30-32 Main Street in Hilltown, County Down which is currently occupied by terraced dwellings and associated outbuildings with a linear grassed garden area to the rear of these structures. Development proposals for the site consist of the demolition of the current structures on site and their replacement with two new terraced houses, while a separate detached house and associated garage will be constructed in the grassed area to the rear. Development will be phased with the detached house and garage constructed primarily with the demolition of the current buildings and construction of the new terraced houses taking place in a later phase.
Examination of the Northern Ireland Sites and Monuments Record revealed that there are ten recorded archaeological sites within a 1.5km radius of the proposed development. None of these sites are located within the boundaries of the proposed development and none of these sites will be impacted upon by the development.
However, the settlement of Hilltown dates to the 17th century when William Hill had a grant of a Monday Market and fairs at the location. The town was later part of the estates of the Downshire Family who developed Hilltown as a small market town during the late 18th/early 19th century. Given this, NIEA: Built Heritage considers the settlement of Hilltown to have archaeological potential and has defined an area of archaeological potential within the village. This area of archaeological potential includes the area of Main Street where the proposed development is located.
Archaeological mitigation consisted of two trenches excavated along the area of the detached house and garage while a small rubble masonry outbuilding was recorded by means of photographic survey and measured drawings. The location of this outbuilding was consistent with that of a structure noted on historic cartographic evidence which suggested that the outbuilding possibly dated to the early 19th century and was therefore the oldest building on site.
Nothing of archaeological significance was noted within Trench 1 which was located within the west extent of the area proposed for development. A stone-filled drain ran partly along the length of Trench 2. This feature was cut into glacial subsoil at a depth of approximately 0.6m below current ground level. Several late 19th-century/early 20th-century artefacts were recovered from the drain including pottery and a metal pot lid.
Examination of the rubble stone building revealed that it had continued in use until comparatively recently and currently derelict, it has been rendered structurally unstable by the vegetation growth which had covered it. As it happens, the development proposals have changed with the proposed garage being removed from the scheme; as such, the outbuilding has been left in situ.

C/O ADS Ltd, 96 University Street, Belfast BT7 1HE