2017:006 - Ardnavally Park, Ballydrain Road, Comber (Carnasure), Down

Testing of this area was carried out between 2007 and 2017 by Archaeological Development Services (ADS) and Northern Archaeological Consultancy (NAC). These works were carried out under archaeological licences AE/07/103 (ADS), AE/08/84 (ADS), AE14/190e (NAC), AE/16/080 (NAC) and AE/17/027 (NAC). No archaeological material was uncovered in any of the testing. A village noted on Raven’s map of 1625 in Cattogs/Carnasure appeared to be located partly within the boundary of the proposed development site (DOW 010:061), however these archaeological works have shown that this is not the case and that the village must only lie on the east side of the river, outside the development site. This is a scheduled area. The survival of the remains of the village very much as depicted in Raven’s map has been confirmed by geophysical survey within this greenfield scheduled area. It must be assumed that Raven’s map is incorrect for the west side of the river as the extensive archaeological works between 2007 and 2017 would have encountered at least some evidence of this village or some 17th-century artefacts from it if it had been present.

NAC, Farset Enterprise Park, 638 Springfield Road, Belfast, BT12 7DY