2014:575 - Artigarvan Primary School, Strabane, Tyrone

An archaeological evaluation was carried out prior to the proposed construction of an overflow car park at lands opposite Artigarvan Primary School, Co. Tyrone.
Four test trenches, orientated north-east/south-west, were excavated using a back-acting machine fitted with a toothless bucket. The trenches were excavated along the length of the proposed overflow car park, for a maximum distance of 70m. In Test trench 2 an oval-shaped pit was uncovered 30.9m south-west of the gatepost at the entrance to the field and was 10.3m north of the boundary fence off Berryhill Road. The pit was 0.46m long, 0.35m wide and 0.15m deep. The cut had an abrupt break of slope at the surface, with steep sides and a gentle break of slope at the base that was rounded in profile. It contained 2 fills. The primary fill consisted of soft, cohesive dark brown silty clay mixed with frequent flecks of charcoal and the occasional small (<0.1m) sub-rounded stone. Several sherds of souterrain ware were retrieved from this fill. It was overlaid by a soft, cohesive mid-brown silty clay that included the occasional fleck of charcoal and was reminiscent of basal topsoil. The test trench was widened to determine if there was additional archaeology present but the pit proved to be an isolated feature. No other archaeological deposits were uncovered during the course of the evaluation.

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