2015:235 - Killyfaddy 3, Derry

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Derry Site name: Killyfaddy 3

Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/15/55

Author: James McKee

Site type: Bronze Age structure

Period/Dating:

ITM: E 690166m, N 888775m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.738915, -6.599804

Killyfaddy 3 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 was identified during Strip/Map of Area F and an extension around Trench 90 during the advanced testing for the project. The main area (Cutting 1) was located on flat land immediately east of a stream – a tributary of the Ballymoghan River. A second area (Cutting 2) was located to the east on the top of a small drumlin. A geophysical survey (undertaken by Earthsound Geophysics under licence AE/14/113) highlighted a number of anomalies and trends interpreted as a cluster of large pits as well as an arcing ditch, field boundary and land drains in Area F/Cutting 1.

The arcing trend was found to be a curving stone drain and the apparent pits at the western side of the area were confirmed as charcoal-rich archaeological features. Significant concentrations of features including curvilinear gullies and pits/post-holes were exposed in the centre of the area, which were subsequently found to represent the remains of a Bronze Age settlement.  The settlement consisted of an inner and an outer gully with associated post- and stake-holes. Five flint artefacts were recovered the fill of the internal gully, which measured 14.68m x 0.42m (max) x 0.22m (max). One hundred stake-holes and 11 large pits/post-holes, focussed around a large hearth, were identified within the confines of this internal gully. The gully and internal features likely represent the remains of a domestic structure. The external gully measured 39.67m x 0.3m x 0.21m and contained a single silty clay deposit. A total of 164 sherds of prehistoric pottery, 26 pieces of flint a single piece of quartz were recovered from the gully. Along the external edge of the gully were c. 50 large post-holes and five large pits. Several of these features produced pottery similar to that recovered from the external gully, suggesting a contemporaneity between the gully and group of post-holes. A large worked stone of unknown function was also discovered in a large pit near the entrance to the enclosure.

Several other features, comprising stake-holes, pits and a curving slot trench, were dispersed in the area between the internal and external gullies. Several other features were also excavated outside of the main structure. One small pit contained a large quantity of pottery which appears to have been from the same vessel.

Cutting 2 comprised a conjoined group of charcoal-rich pits.

At the time of writing, post-excavation analysis had yet to begin.

Irish Archaeological Consultancy, 23-31 Waring St, Belfast, BT1 2DX