2016:041 - CRAIGANTLET, Down

Monitoring for Phase 2 of quarry extension works at Craigantlet Quarry, Co. Down was carried out in July 2014 following on from monitoring of Phase 1 carried out in 2010. The remains of three subsoil-cut cooking pits similar to those uncovered within Phase 1 works were identified within the northern end of Phase 2.

Pit 1 circular feature 1.58m x 1.42m in size, 0.05m to 0.43m in depth. Four deposits filled the pit; along the northern edge was a thick deposit of grey-mottled orange heavy clay (F14) containing light to moderate charcoal flecking, a few larger lumps of burnt wood and a small amount of heat-reddened stone. Slumped over deposit F14 was a lighter grey sticky clay (F13) containing un-burnt platy angular stone and rounded burnt/reddened stone along with charcoal flecking. The southern portion of the pit contained a dark grey crumbly clayey silt (F12) again containing a lot of platy angular unburnt stone and heavy charcoal flecking.

Pit 2 was an elongated feature, orientated east–west and 1.75m x 1.1m in extent, 0.4– 0.46m deep. It was filled with deposits very similar to that of Pit 1. The central base and lower edges of the pit contained a sticky grey clay (F11) containing both heat-reddened stone and non-heated angular stone throughout with large lumps of charcoal evident. Two large (c.0.3m x 0.25m in size) fire-reddened rounded boulders lay at the base of the pit. The base of the west edge of the pit was filled with a grey friable silty clay (F10) containing heavy charcoal flecking and a lot of platy angular stone which partially overlay deposit F11. Overlying both of these deposits was a 0.1–0.18m thick deposit of re-deposited subsoil consisting of an orange mottled grey sticky clay (F9) containing both angular stone and heat-reddened stone and moderate quantities of charcoal. This re-deposited subsoil was further overlain by deposit F8, a mottled grey/orange deposit similar to F14 within pit F6.

Pit 3: Spread (F16) was excavated revealing it to be the partial remains of a circular pit (F15) which had been largely disturbed by tree root activity and subsequent removal of the tree root. Approximately half of the pit remained intact revealing it to be 1.25m x 0.8m in extent and 0.18m deep with shallow sloping sides falling to a flat base. The basal fill was similar to those excavated within Area 1 consisting of a 0.07m-thick deposit of grey sticky clay (F17) containing moderate charcoal flecking and a few small heat-shattered stones covered by deposit F16.