County: Tyrone Site name: Tullanafoile A
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/13/38
Author: Matt Nichol
Site type: Isolated kiln
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 653973m, N 859734m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.483200, -7.167100
Excavation was undertaken at Tullanafoile A, Tullanafoile, Co. Tyrone, on behalf of The Department for Regional Development, Roads Service. The works were undertaken as part of Phase 2 of the Archaeological Services Contract prior to the commencement of construction of the proposed A5 road. The site is located along Section 3 of the proposed road route. Section 3 extends from Seskinore Road in the north to Ballygawley in the south. Section 3 was the southernmost segment of the proposed development site which consists of 37km of new road in total.
Tullanafoile A was a previously unknown site which was identified during Phase 1 archaeological work on the scheme. Phase 1 was carried out following an environmental impact statement on the proposed route which included a chapter on cultural Heritage (Mouchel 2012), and geophysical survey of the route (Durham 2012). The results of this survey subsequently formed the basis of an evaluation strategy which involved trial trenching and/or strip and map of selected areas of high archaeological potential. The evaluation trench layout was designed by project managers Mouchel in consultation with the Historic Monuments Unit of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA). In total 11,180.5m of trial trench was excavated and 29,682.5m² of strip and map was carried out on Section 3. Further works are proposed but could not be carried out before work on the scheme was suspended in June 2013.
Full excavation was undertaken between 19 and 21 March 2013, where a total area of 100m² was excavated.
Two phases of activity were identified consisting of a possible kiln of uncertain date and a series of north-south orientated furrows associated with agricultural activity.
The kiln, which was located within the central area of the site, was key-hole shaped in plan and orientated east-west. The kiln bowl measured 2.8m in diameter with a maximum depth of 0.57m and had steep to gently sloping sides with a rounded flat base. There were two possible flues, one of which extended eastwards from the kiln bowl and the other was located on the south side of kiln bowl. The exact function and date of the kiln is still unknown. No artefactual evidence was recovered from the site.
Further analysis of the results of the excavation is required to refine the interpretation of the site. Proposals are set forth for further work in relation to this site.
References
Durham 2012, Section 3 A5 Western Transport Corridor Northern Ireland geophysical survey.
Mouchel 2012 http://www.a5wtc.com/Environmental_Statement.aspx, Chapter 9.
Cotswold Archaeology, Stanley House, Walworth Road, Andover, Hampshire SP10 5LH.
