2017:196 - Timakeel; Drumharriff; Magaraty & Derrycoose, Armagh

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Armagh Site name: Timakeel; Drumharriff; Magaraty & Derrycoose

Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/17/139

Author: Colm Chambers

Site type: Possible prehistoric site

Period/Dating:

ITM: E 693791m, N 856282m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.446394, -6.553909

A testing programme was undertaken at various locations in County Armagh along the route of a proposed gas pipeline. Nothing of archaeological consequence was identified during this testing programme at Timakeel (Field 6.03); Drumharriff (Field 6.05) and Derrycoose (Fields 14.01, 14.02, 14.03 & 15.02) townlands.

A number of feature deemed to be potentially prehistoric in date were identified at Magaraty townland (Field 8.19). These included a circular feature measuring 5.3m in diameter and 0.46m wide. A section excavated through this feature showed it to be 0.22m in depth. The cut contained various layers of fills with charcoal, re-deposited natural and sub-angular stones at the base (possible packing stones for wooden posts). This feature appeared to be the foundation trench of a small circular structure of unknown date or function. Another sub-rectangular feature was located in the interior area of the circular structure, consisting of a shallow spread of burnt material. Within this layer, a small number of pieces of flint debitage and a worked flint tool were recovered during the cleaning process. Another possible sub-circular feature was found to the west of the circular structure.

John Cronin & Associates, 28 Upper Main Street Buncrana, Co. Donegal