2018:887 - CRONSTOWN & BALLYALICOCK, RIVENWOOD—Phase 2, Newtownards, Down
County: Down
Site name: CRONSTOWN & BALLYALICOCK, RIVENWOOD—Phase 2, Newtownards
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A
Licence number: AE/18/188
Author: Ross Bailey, NAC Ltd.
Author/Organisation Address: 638 Springfield Road, Belfast, BT12 7DY
Site type: Excavation - miscellaneous
Period/Dating: Multi-period
ITM: E 351427m, N 375006m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.591000, -5.680000
Features dated from the Early Neolithic to the post-medieval period.
A series of pits that contained sherds of Early Neolithic Carinated bowl were excavated at the north of the site.
A Bronze Age roundhouse, radiocarbon dated to 1616 to 1493 BC and 1058 to 906 BC, was located within the centre of the site.
A burnt spread was also excavated, and was radiocarbon dated to the early medieval period, AD 422 to 574. This spread contained several displaced prehistoric artefacts, most significantly a broken prehistoric Irish pebble macehead.
In addition, a 3m-deep, dry-stone well with steps leading down to the water was found. This was undated, but based on its size and style it is believed that this may be a holy well associated with the nearby Movilla Abbey that was founded in the 6th century AD.
