2016:744 - Belsize Road, Magheralave, Lisburn, Antrim

An archaeological evaluation was carried out prior to the construction of Phase 2 of Belsize Meadows residential development on lands west of Belsize Meadows Phase 1 and south of A513 Derriaghy Road, Lisburn.
Prior to topsoil removal being conducted for the site, the development area was ploughed to facilitate a field-walking exercise. The purpose of this was to identify any flint material associated with ANT 64:94, which is identified as a flint find spot. No flint artefacts were recovered during the course of this process. Indeed no actual flint material was identified within the ploughed topsoil which did contain modern building debris, particularly towards the northern extent of the site. It is possible that the topsoil within this area has been mixed through with material excavated/deposited during the construction of Boomers Way.
The site was subsequently topsoil stripped using a back-acting machine fitted with a toothless bucket. A single layer of mid brown silty clay topsoil material was removed to expose the naturally occurring subsoil to a maximum depth of 0.3m at the base of the slope. The topsoil on the lower levels was more peat-like in nature and contained a lot of modern debris/rubbish and exposed fencing posts and barbed wire. The material on the upper slopes was as little as 0.1m in thickness. Again the topsoil material at the extreme top of the slope near Boomers Way contained some modern materials (tarmac and plastic bottles). Naturally occurring subsoil at the top of the area ranged from dark red to a dark orange silty clay material, which shifted to a mottled yellow mid-orange sandy clay at the base of the area.
No evidence of any archaeological material was identified during the monitoring process.

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