County: Down Site name: A24 Ballynahinch Bypass
Sites and Monuments Record No.: DOW 022:057 Licence number: AE/18/28 and AE/18/29
Author: Jonathan Barkley
Site type: Prehistoric
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 737541m, N 852765m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.404863, -5.881422
The archaeological investigations proposed were 300 mechanically excavated test trenches measuring 30m x 2m (TT001-TT117, TT120-TT147, TT149-TT194 and TT196-TT304), two mechanically excavated test trenches measuring 15m x 4m (TT118 and TT119) and two mechanically excavated test trenches measuring 15m x 2m (TT148 and TT195). A total of 231 of these trenches were undertaken during this phase of work.
During the course of the trenching one possible new archaeological site was identified (TT247). The site comprised a single pit which was identified within the trench and characterised before backfilling. The remote sensing survey covered an area 1.37ha, north-east of the Glassdrumman River and within the vicinity of an unlocated Mass Rock site (DOW 022:057). No evidence for either the site of the Mass Rock or the Battle of Ballynahinch was uncovered. Two structures along the scheme were subject to Historic Building Surveys.
Northern Archaeological Consultancy, 638 Springfield Road, Belfast
