2014:564 - DOWNPATRICK: St Margaret’s Church, Church Avenue, Down
County: Down
Site name: DOWNPATRICK: St Margaret’s Church, Church Avenue
Sites and Monuments Record No.: DOW 037:086
Licence number: AE/14/16E
Author: Audrey Gahan, Gahan & Long Ltd.
Author/Organisation Address: 7-9 Castlereagh Street, Belfast BT5 4NE
Site type: Burial
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 748509m, N 844755m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.329871, -5.716605
An archaeological evaluation was carried out prior to conversion works on an existing store and the insertion of a septic tank within the grounds at St Margaret’s Church, Church Avenue, Downpatrick. The proposed development site is located within the grounds of St Margaret’s Parish Church, a listed grade B+ building registered as HB/18/18/007 and as DOW 037:086.
The evaluation consisted of the monitoring of topsoil removal and subsequent ground reduction within an area approximately 2m x 3m. Topsoil was removed using a back-acting machine fitted with a toothless bucket.
The first inhumation was identified at a depth of approximately 1m. This consisted of the exposure of the skull of a single individual located within the north-east corner of the trench. Given its proximity to the edges of the trench, it was not clear whether this represented disarticulated material or an articulated inhumation. Further examination of the skull and its surrounding area indicated that this was in fact an inhumation, extending east beyond the area of the evaluation. To prevent damage to the skull, it was exhumed by the archaeologist. The fill material continued to be removed from the trench which led to the exposure of a second skull towards the western end of the trench. Machine reduction was ceased at this point and the full extent of the inhumation was exposed. This consisted of a single individual located centrally within the trench. As with the first inhumation, this individual was aligned east-west with the head at the western end. Once exposed this was an almost complete skeleton, however both the hands and feet were missing. It was noted that the left leg appears to have been disturbed and may be that this has also resulted in the loss of the feet. An osteological analysis was carried out on the remains which concluded that the articulated skeleton was a male who was approximately 5’6”-5’8” in height and was around 60 at the time of death.
The project has been redesigned to prevent any further new ground disturbance and monitoring will be in place for the insertion of the septic tank.
