2017:453 - TEMPLEPATRICK: Lands at 868 and 870 Antrim Road, Antrim

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken prior to the proposed construction of a residential development on lands situated at 868 and 870 Antrim Road, Templepatrick and adjoining to the rear.

A series of 17 test trenches were excavated by mechanical digger fitted with a toothless bucket. The depths of the trenches varied only slightly across the site being on average 0.3m deep. In all but 2 cases topsoil was removed directly onto naturally-occurring subsoil.

Topsoil was a moderately soft silty clay containing only occasional to moderate amounts of stone. It directly overlay subsoil which was the same across the site and was a mid-orange brown – mid-orange silty sandy clay containing occasional to moderate amounts of stone. In Trenches 13 and 14 a tarmac surface was removed onto a coarse gravel bedding which overlay the subsoil.

No archaeological deposits were identified during the course of the evaluation.