2019:084 - Ballykilner Lower, Down

The site to be developed is located approximately 300m south-east of 46 Blackstaff Road, Ballykniler Lower, and is roughly 2.2km from Clough. There are a number of sites of archaeological interest in the vicinity, the nearest is Lismahon Motte (DOW044:003), which is located on the brow of a ridge 10m to the west of the proposal.
Following a Level 2 architectural survey of the surviving cottage on the site, testing took place on 12 April 2019. Trench 1 was located to the north of and running parallel to the north façade of the cottage. It was 18m in length and 1.5m wide. Topsoil was a mere 0.15-0.2m in depth and consisted of a highly organic, dark yellow brown loam silt. This soil was a by-product of cattle using the area as a feeding station. Removal of the soil revealed undisturbed natural, a light yellow brown, hard, stony compacted silt clay. The subsoil was featureless with the exception of a well laid north-south running cobbled path, 0.5m in width and constructed of small rounded water-rolled stones. The cobbles were laid directly on the natural subsoil, with some suggestion of larger stones laid end to end to the east and west forming rough kerbing. The projected southern extent of the cobbled pathway ran towards the main back door to the cottage, in front of which was a stone porch-like setting of large well-worn flat stones. The large stones and pathway gave access from the rear of the cottage towards the byre buildings located to the north.
Trench 2 was located to the east of the cottage. It was 1.5m wide and ran north-south for 13m. Topsoil consisted of a yellow brown silt clay, 0.4m in depth. As with Trench 1, the natural undisturbed subsoil consisted of a light yellow brown, hard, stony compacted silt clay. Nothing of archaeological interest was noted within this trench.

AHC Ltd, 36 Ballywillwill Road, Castlewellan, Co. Down BT31 9LF