County: Antrim Site name: A6 Castledawson-Randalstown Dualling, GI Trial Pits
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/16/129
Author: James McKee
Site type: Greenfield
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 706448m, N 889295m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.740403, -6.346877
A total of 28 trial pits, measuring on average 3m x 2m, were opened during September 2016. A single stone feature was identified in RTP 311, which lay at the bottom of a steep slope, close to the Randalstown end of the scheme. This feature was comprised of large stones at the surface, one of which was displaced by the mechanical excavator. A stone‐lined ‘chamber’ was identified beneath the surface. It is unclear whether this feature was a large drain or was of archaeological significance. The trial pit was moved to the immediate east where no features of archaeological significance were encountered. No other features of archaeological significance were encountered in the remaining trial pits.
In addition, it was recommended that the arisings from borehole RBH307S were examined for archaeological material. This was due to the close proximity of this borehole to ANT048:013. Nothing of archaeological significance was identified during this work.
IAC Archaeology, 9 Stranmillis Road, Belfast, BT9 5AF
