2016:725 - Lands 200m north of Ringhaddy Castle, Killinchy, Down

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken ahead of the proposed construction of a single dwelling on lands 200m north of Ringhaddy Castle, Killinchy. The proposed development site is located to the immediate north of both Ringhaddy Castle and Church (DOW 024: 012 and DOW 017: 016). Both of these sites, which are in ruins, are scheduled monuments and are also in State Care.
The evaluation consisted of the excavation of three test trenches across the site, whom one was a foundation trench.
Trench 1 was located within a field of open pasture on the western side of the site and ran north-south for approximately 28m. A single layer of topsoil was removed from the trench. This had a maximum depth of 0.2m and directly overlay naturally occurring subsoil which consisted of a relatively loose, mid brown gravel. Trench 2 consisted of the foundation trench along the frontage of the new build. It ran north-south for approximately 20m. Following the removal of vegetation cover, a very light skim of topsoil was identified. This had a maximum thickness of 0.05m. Within it and pressed into the subsoil was a layer of plastic sheeting which represents the remains of a former polytunnel. The subsoil consisted of a relatively loose, mid brown gravel. The trench was subsequently excavated through subsoil to a depth of 2m. Trench 3 was located along the eastern side of the site. It extended roughly north-south for 26m and crossed an area that was previously occupied by a polytunnel. Following removal of the vegetation cover, a single layer of topsoil was removed from the trench. This had a maximum depth of 0.1m and directly overlay naturally occurring subsoil which consisted of a relatively loose, mid brown gravel.
No archaeological deposits were identified within any of the trenches.

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