County: Antrim Site name: Templemoyle, Kells
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/16/086
Author: Ciara MacManus
Site type: Modern
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 714453m, N 896973m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.807599, -6.219596
Archaeological pre-development test trenching was carried out at the site of a proposed social housing development located at Templemoyle, Kells, Co Antrim. A desk-based assessment indicated that the site is located within the historic village of Kells the founding of which dates back to its early medieval ecclesiastic origins, with numerous other archaeological sites dating from the prehistoric to early historic periods situated within 1km of the development area.
A total of four test trenches were placed across the length of the development site. Test trenching revealed that modern infill deposits extended between 1.6–2.6m below existing ground levels having overlain a 0.2–0.4m thick deposit of natural peat, with natural boulder clay subsoil identified at 1.8m-+3m depth.
Test trenching therefore indicates that modern infill associated with the past construction of nearby housing has sealed the natural soil sub-strata within which archaeological material is commonly located. As a small proportion of the site underwent archaeological evaluation there remains the potential for un-identified archaeological remains to survive within those areas where test trench excavation did not occur.
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