2016:279 - 129 The Burn Road (Fergusons Land), Parkgate, Antrim

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Antrim Site name: 129 The Burn Road (Fergusons Land), Parkgate

Sites and Monuments Record No.: IHR 07208:000:00 Licence number: AE/15/156

Author: Stephen Gilmore

Site type: Industrial 19th-century flax and corn mills

Period/Dating:

ITM: E 723924m, N 888000m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.724772, -6.076187

Archaeologically monitored topsoil stripping took place at the site of 129 The Burn Road, Parkgate, Co. Antrim, on 8 March 2016. A mill (IHR 07208:000:00 Flax mill & Corn Mill) was said to be located here based on the OS maps and the SMRNI database. Topsoil stripping to the south of the tree line did uncover several features of interest. A large concrete plinth was initially thought to be part of the westernmost building in this area. However it was not in the correct location and was canted at an angle which suggested that it was in its present location as a result of demolition rather than being constructed as foundations. To its east was another slightly smaller lump of concrete. It is likely that these may originally have been supports for the raised sluice.

To the south of this the subsoil was extremely compact and stony at a depth of no more than 0.2m below the lawn surface. Between this untouched natural surface and the concrete plinths was a much softer area which appeared to have been deliberately backfilled with stones and soil. It was defined by a west to east-running inclined face which dropped off northwards from the northern edge of the natural subsoil to the area where the concrete plinths were uncovered. This appears to have been the southern bank of the millrace which had been backfilled using stones and soil, as well as probably the two aforementioned concrete plinths. There was no evidence of an accumulation of silt or plant material within this race nor were any of the stones used in its backfill mortared (other than the concrete plinths). There was also no sign of any of the modern rubbish which would be expected in this type of post-industrial site. The southern line of the millrace did correspond with its expected location on the OS maps.

To the west of the large concrete plinth was what appeared to be the remains of a dry-built stone wall, comprising three partial courses of stones, measuring one stone in width. This feature was around 4m long, 0.3m wide and 0.4m in height in maximum extent. There were traces of mortar on its upper surface but it was not stable enough to have been a foundation. It was considered initially that that this was part of the wall of the building in this vicinity but given its location below the level of the millrace was in reality probably part of the lining of the millrace at this point. Upon removal of the surrounding fill it was not structurally sound enough to stand unsupported.

In the eastern part of the development where the garage was to be located a large area of rubble and other fill was exposed. As this fill was being removed a north-east to south-west running mortared stone built wall 6m long and 1.2m in height was uncovered. This was pierced 2m from the south-western end by a door/window with a handmade brick lintel, measuring 0.8m in width and 0.7m in height. Another 1.5m to the south was what appeared to be another window or doorway. This was about 0.5m square but had collapsed partially and did not appear to have an obvious lintel.

The entire structure was very unstable and had been filled both within and without by rubble so it was not possible to clean and record the remains other than photographically. It probably extended further to a depth of about 0.5m but was so unstable that an attempt to determine this would have destroyed it completely. In this location the river bank to the south was a steep bank some 3m above the level of the stream so there was no opportunity to extend the excavation for fear of this collapsing and polluting the river. The material surrounding this gable appeared to be a mix of modern (1970s) and late 19th- or early 20th-century rubble almost certainly derived from the demolition of the industrial buildings on site and to the west, and the construction of the current house in the later part of 20th century. Given the type of material that this may have contained coupled with the instability of the standing remains and the location of the proposed garage it was decided not to disturb this area further. The gable wall was plotted and overlaid on earlier maps and appeared to correspond with the south-east wall of the eastern building indicated as being on site.

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