2016:818 - Clooney (Building 62 - Ebrington Barracks), Derry

Works associated with the scheme provide for the conversion of the existing building at 62 Ebrington Square, Londonderry, to provide an office, disabled WC and kitchen (Planning Ref: LA11/2015/0453/LBC). The building, a single-storey red brick building with wooden white windows and doors and a slate coloured roof, is an existing/former Military Office, toilet and store.

The majority of the works are associated with the internal fit-out of the building and external refurbishment of existing features; invasive groundworks being limited to the lifting and relaying of the granite paving and construction of a level landing area to the west of the structure and the provision of drainage, electricity and telecommunications to the building. However, two portions of the Star Fort Wall were encountered during the excavation works associated with this scheme.

The first of these was identified within the trench for new kerbing, c.1.6m south of the south-east corner of Building 62. This portion of wall was encountered at a depth of 0.6m below the existing paved surface and was 0.7m thick. It appears to have been previously uncovered by Northern Archaeological Consultancy (NAC) and was subsequently covered with Damp Proof membrane and a sand buffer below new sub-surface construction materials.

Within the area to the south of the area of the north-eastern bastion, excavation of a services trench to the south of Building 62 also revealed sub-surface remains of a portion of the Star Fort Wall.  The remains were cleaned by hand and recorded under licence AE/15/21.

The top of the portion of walling identified was identified at a depth of 16.1m O.D. (1.4m below the existing Tarmac road surface). It was directly overlain by a grate and concrete inspection chamber associated with a drainage pipe and its backfilled trench.  The portion of wall was c.0.7m wide and of rubble construction, comprising relatively large, flat stones with evidence of mortar bonding, and extended south-south-west/north-north-east across the trench which was approximately 0.5-0.7m wide at its base.

Due to the nature of the remains as part of a protected Scheduled structure, it was proposed that these be preserved in situ with an engineering solution to preserve their integrity. The Star Fort wall was protected and preserved in situ with the new drainage set above a protective membrane/sheeting and 0.3m deep barrier layer of pea gravel to ensure that the new construction materials do not bond to the historic fabric.  In addition, the new drainage layout was altered to ensure that the new manholes/inspection chambers be located at least 1.2m from the Star Fort wall (i.e. outside of the Scheduled Area).

Both these sections of walling appear to form part of the north-east bastion of the Star Fort and appear to have previously been recorded during works undertaken at the site by NAC.

150 Elmvale, Culmore, Derry BT48 8SL.