County: Antrim Site name: Ballymacaldrack (Bridge Road, Dunloy)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/18/130
Author: Christopher J. Farrimond, FarrimondMacManus Ltd (Derry), 150 Elmvale, Culmore, Derry BT48 8SL.
Site type: No archaeological significance
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 701000m, N 917397m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.993917, -6.421617
Pre-development archaeological evaluation works were undertaken during 25–31 July 2018 at the proposed extension to the basalt quarry at lands to the west and south of No. 93 Bridge Road, Dunloy, Co. Antrim (Planning Ref: D/2014/0011/F), having been commissioned by Patrick Keenan.
Thirty-three trenches, totaling approximately 3,125 linear metres of trenching, were excavated within the area relating to Phase 1 of the proposed extension to quarrying during this phase of on-site works (i.e. within the area immediately adjacent to the western limit of the existing quarry), within an area of c.7.8ha or 19.3 acres.
Extraction works are on-going in the original quarry site and this evaluation relates specifically to the new development to the west.
The topsoil and overburden layers encountered were generally rather homogenous in nature, differing only in depth of the deposits. Throughout the trenches, subsoil was directly overlain either by topsoil or by a layer of mid orange/brown clay which was itself overlain by topsoil. Generally, this layer was 0.2-0.45m deep. Topsoil comprised a 0.15-0.45m deep deposit of dark brown peaty topsoil throughout each of the trenches.
No archaeological features, remains or deposits were noted within any of the test-trenches during evaluation works at the site, in addition to some substantial open ditches/sheughs associated with the agricultural use of the land, and no artifacts were recovered during works.
However, evaluation works were not undertaken within the remainder of the site (i.e. Phases 2 & 3) 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 to ensure the identification and evaluation of any archaeological remains within the site and for mitigation of the impacts of the development through excavation recording or by preservation of remains.
Christopher J. Farrimond, FarrimondMacManus Ltd (Derry), 150 Elmvale, Culmore, Derry BT48 8SL.
