2014:415 - Strathroy Road, Omagh, Tyrone

Approximately 350m composite length of test trenching was proposed for each of these two phases, totalling c.700m of test trenching in the form of eight trenches, grouped in three on the western plateau, two at the southern end of the central plateau and three on the eastern plateau. The trenches were c.2m wide and were excavated until either archaeological deposits/features or the glacial subsoil was reached. A series of pits, post-holes spreads and linear features was uncovered in the initial trenching. This bore out the initial impressions for the areas trenched on the site, flat or gently sloping plateaus, had the potential to contain quite a lot of archaeological material. It should be noted that examination of the early OS maps indicated that this area of the site was heavily wooded until at least the mid 1830s and was cut by two field boundaries, one of which partially survived in a row of trees to the north of Trench 1 (Tr 1). Several of these linear features, appeared upon initial examination to be complex cut features, either rectangular or curving in plan (eastern end of Tr 1, central Tr 2, northern Tr 4 and northern Tr 7). All features exposed were planned and photographed. After discussion with the NIEA Area Archaeologist it was decided to expand the area stripped round the features exposed by trenching to try to determine if the features were archaeological, natural or agricultural. This involved the minimum expansion and disturbance possible and limited large open areas to be later backfilled. Upon examination it was determined that the vast majority of the features were non-archaeological, either agricultural-cultivation rigs (lazybeds), field boundaries, stone holes, animal burrows, or tree root boles. None of the complex features were archaeological, rather they were crosscutting cultivation rigs which were obviously exposed upon expansion of the trenches around them.

Overall a scatter of archaeological features was uncovered in Tr 1 to Tr 3, one, or several areas of burning in the southern portions of Tr 4 and Tr 5 and a series of pits and post-holes in the northern end of Tr 4 to Tr 6. Nothing archaeological was uncovered in Tr 7 and Tr 8. All of the trenches were regularly crossed by cultivation ridges, not surprising as the topsoil was relatively shallow overlying a variety of sandy clays and sands with a relatively high stone component. These features were recorded and EDM plans produced (2 and 3 April) locating the areas of potential archaeological material. The trenches were then backfilled and reseeded to protect the features and to await development at some future date.

NAC, Farset Enterprise Park, 638 Springfield Road, Belfast, BT12 7DY