2017:752 - Eden (Eden Quarry, Glenshane), Derry

Planning Consent has been granted for a 12.2ha easterly lateral extension to a quarry at Glenshane Road, Dungiven (Eden Quarry), Co Londonderry, with the condition that an archaeological programme of works is implemented in accordance with Planning Policy Guidelines PPS6 BH4.

The proposed development area lies within an area of archaeological potential, with numerous archaeological sites and monuments (SMR), industrial heritage sites (IHR) and historic buildings (HB) being recorded within its general vicinity, although only one of these SMR & IHR sites, the Old Road to Maghera (IHR02010:000:00), is recorded as being located within the boundaries of the PDA. This feature is recorded as extending through the area of proposed extension to quarrying works and works associated with the subject proposal will result in the removal of approximately 75m of this former road.

The development and its proposed works will consist of the bulk extraction of basalt material and will involve blasting and large-scale mechanical ground disturbance works associated with the quarrying process.

Archaeological evaluation works comprising the excavation of thirteen trenches, totalling approximately 2,163 linear metres of trenching, were undertaken during 8–16 November 2017 within the north-west area of the proposed extension to quarrying during this phase of on-site works (i.e. within the area immediately adjacent to the eastern limit of the existing quarry), within an area of c.3.2ha or 8 acres.

The topsoil and overburden layers encountered were rather homogenous in nature, differing only in depth of the deposits. Throughout the trenches, subsoil was directly overlain by a layer of mid orange/brown clay which contained frequent medium and large stones and boulders. Generally, this layer was 0.2-0.3m deep within the more steeply sloping portions of the trenches (i.e. below the 310m contour) and 0.35-0.6m deep within the portions of the trenches which extended to north-east. This layer was directly overlain by a 0.15-0.3m deep deposit of dark brown peaty topsoil throughout each of the trenches, with the exception of Trench 1 and a portion of Trench 3 EXT.

On-site evaluation works revealed undisturbed glacial subsoil throughout each of the trenches and no archaeological features, remains or deposits were identified, with the exception of the partial remains of two dry stone walls which extended either side of the former Old Road to Maghera marked on the 1st edition OS map.

Trench 3 EXT. was excavated across the line of the Old Road to Maghera. Within this trench, on-site evaluation works revealed the partial remains of two dry stone walls which extended either side of the former road marked on the 1st edition OS map. Construction works associated with the road itself appeared to have involved the scarping of the upper north-east side of the road and deposition of the subsoil material on the south-west side, to create the flat surface for the road, with a large stone-filled drain cut along its north-east edge and the ground sloping steeply up towards the dry-stone wall which delimited the north-east side of the feature. A small bank of re-deposited clay with a second dry-stone wall outside, extended along the line of the road on its south-west side.

The dry-stone walls were of random rubble construction and composed of large boulders and very large stones. Where the boulders had flat faces, it appeared that an attempt had been made to “face” the wall, although this had not been undertaken throughout the extent of the feature.

Within the extent of the road, there was remarkably little evidence of the road construction itself. In addition to the re-deposited clay along the south-west side, construction materials associated with the road were limited to a 10-20mm deep layer of small stones mixed with gravel, overlain within the trench by peaty topsoil. It seems unlikely that such a substantial feature with the road so apparent on the historic editions of the OS maps and clearly defined by field walls on each side, was originally of such ephemeral construction and it appears likely that any other materials once associated with its construction have been stripped or removed since it became unused.

Evaluation works were not undertaken within the remainder of the site and it is therefore recommended that further phases of pre-development evaluation works be undertaken in advance of any topsoil stripping or other works associated with the extension to quarrying within the remainder of the PDA.

150 Elmvale, Culmore, Derry BT48 8SL.