County: Derry Site name: Killyfaddy 1
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/15/49
Author: Fintan Walsh
Site type: Isolated pits
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 689397m, N 888847m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.739699, -6.611720
Killyfaddy 1 was one of 11 sites excavated as part of the advanced works for the A31 Magherafelt Bypass. The excavation followed on from trial trenching and initial work for strip/map sample excavation undertaken by Fintan Walsh under licence AE/14/232. The site comprised two cuttings which were established after archaeological material was recorded in Trench 35 (Cutting 1) and Strip/Map Area A (Cutting 2). A geophysical survey (undertaken by Earthsound Geophysics under licence AE/14/113) had highlighted a number of trends in this area which were interpreted as a sub-circular ditch with possible entrance at the western edge, land drains and a possible agricultural boundary.
No trace of a sub-circular ditch as suggested by the geophysical survey was identified during the excavation however one archaeological pit was present. Numerous stone drains (orientated south-west/north-east and south-east/north-west) crossed the area (corresponding partly to the geophysical survey) and it is possible that the circular anomaly ‘picked up’ a criss-cross of drains as was observed on site.
A total of three small pits were recorded. No artefactual material was recovered which could provide a provisional date or function for these features. Post-excavation analysis had yet to begin at the time of writing.
Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 23-31 Waring St, Belfast
