2013:159 - A5, Western Transport Corridor, Section 1-New Bulidings to South of Strabane, Tyrone
County: Tyrone
Site name: A5, Western Transport Corridor, Section 1-New Bulidings to South of Strabane
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A
Licence number: AE/13/13E
Author: Brian O’Hara, Rubicon Heritage Services Ltd.
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 637407m, N 903545m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.878304, -7.417116
Archaeological evaluation (Phase 1) was carried along Section 1 of the route of the A5 Western Transport Corridor through Co Tyrone in Northern Ireland.
Following an environmental impact statement on the proposed route (Mouchel 2012), geophysical survey of the route was undertaken (Durham 2012). The results of this geophysical survey subsequently formed the basis of an evaluation strategy which involved trial trenching selected areas of high archaeological potential. The trial trench layout was designed by project managers Mouchel in consultation with the Historic Monuments Unit of the Northern Ireland Environment agency (NIEA). The evaluation included both linear trial trenches and strip-and-map of pre-defined areas. Each group of trial trenches (TT) and each strip and map area (SMA) were assigned individual numbers which on Section 3 ranged from TT001‐TT052 and from SMA001‐SMA014.
In total 7,391m of trial trench was excavated and 8,707m² of strip-and-map was carried out on Section 1. Fourteen areas of archaeological significance were identified. Some of these areas can be grouped due to proximity, giving a total of six archaeological sites. It is recommended that full archaeological excavation and recording be undertaken at each of these sites prior to any construction work.
Prior to the suspension of work on the scheme, some Phase 2 work consisting of archaeological excavation was undertaken. This was carried out between 4 March and the 21 June 2013 and involved full excavation of two sites (Cloghcor A and Sollus A). The other identified sites remain preserved in situ. One of these sites (Magherareagh A and B) had been fully exposed in Phase 1 so it was covered in terram and backfilled under supervision.
Cloghcor A contained a burnt mound and Sollus A a burnt mound and linear features. Magherareagh A yielded pits with prehistoric pottery and at Magherareagh B a burnt mound.
References
Durham 2012, Section 3 A5 Western Transport Corridor Northern Ireland geophysical survey.
Mouchel 2012 http://www.a5wtc.com/Environmental_Statement.aspx, Chapter 9.