County: Antrim Site name: A6 Dualling Randalstown to Castledawson (Testing: Randalstown to Toomebridge)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: n/a Licence number: AE/16/162
Author: Colin Dunlop
Site type: multiperiod
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 703487m, N 889078m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.739072, -6.392918
Testing of the A6 Dualling Randalstown to Castledawson Scheme (Randalstown to Toomebridge section) comprised 336 mechanically excavated test trenches measuring 30m x 2m (TT158-TT469 and C1-C25) and the excavation and recording of sections through 9 Historic Landscape Features (F3, F4, F5a, F5b, F6, F7, F8, F9 & F10). There was no evidence that any of the HIstoric Landscape Features predated the 18th century (they first appear on the OS 1st edtion, c. 1830). During the course of the trenching 8 archaeological sites were identified, 7 of these were subsequently excavated and recorded under separate archaeological licences. These will be fully detailed in the reports relating to these licences. The 8th (Site 17) was a single pit and was excavated under this licence (AE/16/162). The archaeological sites were as follows:
• Site 5 (TT318) – Early Medieval enclosure in Moneynick townland (Licence AE/17/07, IGR: J 03545 89067; ITM: X 703487 Y 889078)
• Site 6 (TT194 & TT195) Prehistoric occupation on Gortgarn townland (Licence AE/17/12, IGR: J 00873 89530; ITM: X 700803 Y 889522)
• Site 7 (TT335) Undated hearth in Moneynick townland (Licence AE/17/09, IGR: J 04054 89117; ITM: X 703983 Y 889109)
• Site 8 (TT214-TT217) Neolithic occupation in Gortgarn townland (Licence AE/17/32, IGR: J 01395 89325; ITM: X 701337 Y 889336)
• Site 9 (TT435 & TT437) Early Medieval Enclosure in Artresnahan townland (Licence AE/17/19, IGR: J 06494 89199; ITM: X 706436 Y 889209)
• Site 10 (T364, TT367 & TT370) Post-medieval activity in Derryhollagh townland (Licence AE/17/31, IGR: J 89161 05286; ITM: X 789072 Y 805296)
• Site 11 (TT245) Burnt Mound in Drumcullen Townland (Licence AE/17/33, IGR: J 02260 89261; ITM: X 702202 Y 889271)
• Site 17 (TT229) Undated pit containing burnt material in Gortgarn Townland (Excavated under this licence, IGR: J 01943 89154; ITM: X 701885 Y 889164)
NAC, Farset Enterprise Park, 638 Springfield Road, Belfast, BT12 7DY
