County: Fermanagh Site name: Gortmullan (Hick's Quarry, Derrylin)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/17/143
Author: Christopher J. Farrimond, FarrimondMacManus Ltd (Derry)
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 627413m, N 822738m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.152907, -7.580349
Monitoring of topsoil stripping/primary ground reduction works associated with Phase 3 of the extension to Hick’s Quarry was undertaken during 8–9 August 2017. These works were a continuation of earlier phases undertaken at the site during 27 September – 1 October 2010 and on 31 January 2011 under licence no. AE/10/145 and during 11 – 14 November 2014 under licence no. AE/14/185 by FarrimondMacManus Ltd.
Quarrying works at the site are to be undertaken in several distinct phases. Consequently, the works which are the subject of this report relate to an area of 0.3 hectares, measuring c.75m (north-east/south-west) x 60m, within the central portion of the proposed development area (PDA) only.
Prior to the commencement of on-site works, this portion of the PDA consisted of an area of improved agricultural pasture, bounded by the existing quarry and associated factory facilities to north, east and south and by agricultural land to south-west. A drainage channel crossed the area from north to south.
The topsoil consisted of a 0.3–0.65m deep deposit of reddish brown silty clay containing a moderate amount of gravel inclusions and its removal revealed undisturbed glacial subsoil, which primarily consisted of a mid-grey brown sandy gravel within the north-eastern portion of the stripped area under investigation and a light brown orange sandy clay within the central and south-western portions of the area, at a depth of 0.3–0.65m.
No archaeological features, remains or deposits were uncovered during the monitored topsoil stripping of the area under investigation.
150 Elmvale, Culmore, Derry BT48 8SL.
