2016:800 - MULLANAHOE: Mullanahoe Road, Ardboe, Tyrone

Pre-development test trenching at the site of a proposed building project within the grounds of the Church of the Blessed Sacrament, Parish of Ardboe, uncovered sub-surface archaeological remains within a small portion of the south-east corner of the site, adjacent to monument TYR040:006. Two curvilinear ditches/gullies, uncovered within Test Trenches 4, 7 and 8, may have enclosed an area of high ground towards the top of the drumlin, encompassing a small spread and a sub-oval pit which possibly related to funerary activity dating to the Bronze Age. A further two subsoil-cut pits were identified 2.5m and 7.5m west of the curvilinear features.
Artefacts recovered from curvilinear ditch feature (F3)—a sherd of possible prehistoric pottery and a piece of struck flint, and pit (F1)—burnt bone and sherds of pottery (possibly Bronze Age in date) suggest a tentative prehistoric date for the activity uncovered during the evaluation, thus predating the occupation associated with rath TYR040:006.