County: Antrim Site name: A26 Borrow Pit 1, Ballyhutherland
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/15/102
Author: Christina O'Regan
Site type: Multi-period
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 706042m, N 914541m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.967221, -6.343915
Extensive archaeological remains were uncovered during topsoil stripping of a Borrow Pit along the A26 Frosses Road Dualling Scheme. This area was not within the Scheme footprint and as such was not subject to advanced testing. The archaeology was contained within four fields which were located along one of the highest points in the immediate landscape.
Field 1 contained isolated pits, a section of a linear ditch and a cluster of curvilinear gullies.
Field 2 contained a possible truncated round house with associated internal pits and post-holes. The main concentration of activity was located on the brow of the hill and consisted of a stone-built souterrain with associated round house, large pits and bowl furnace. The souterrain had been well preserved with lintels and walls still intact. A curvilinear gully, containing frequent quantities of burnt bone and charcoal, was connected to the souterrain at its southern end though it is unclear whether they were contemporary. A broken rotary quern was found within a large pit associated with the round house. A possible sandstone mould was found within a large pit which also contained over a hundred sherds of souterrain ware.
Field 3 contained a scatter of small pits and a possible miniature ring barrow.
Field 4 was located on a north-facing slope and contained clusters of small pit features, a north-south field boundary and a possible ring barrow. The only archaeological features excavated in this field were a few small pits located along the southern edge of the field. The remaining archaeology has been preserved in situ.
Post-excavation analysis had yet to begin at the time of writing.
Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 23-31 Waring St, Belfast
