County: Antrim Site name: 79 Woodburn Road, Carrickfergus
Sites and Monuments Record No.: Vicinity of ANT052-028 Licence number: AE-21-045
Author: Eoin Halpin
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 739406m, N 888548m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.725642, -5.835759
The proposal related to an archaeological condition on a full planning permission (LA02/2018/0048/F) for a replacement dwelling and garage at 79 Woodburn Road, Middle Division, Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim (J 39466 88529).
In their consideration the HED stated that the site was immediately adjacent to ANT052:028, a possible rath or defensive settlement site of the early medieval period, which may have been reused as a flax dam (IHR 07251:002:00) in more recent times. They were content that the proposal satisfied PPS 6 policy requirements, subject to conditions for the agreement and implementation of a developer funded programme of archaeological works.
Part of the compilation of this programme involved a site visit, which took place in November 2020. The visit revealed that some development had already taken place, insofar as the existing detached 1950’s house had been demolished and the new build had progressed to near roof plate height.
The majority of the development had taken place on the footprint of the old house, with the northern portion of the development area relatively untouched. This was the area which was closest to the site of enclosure ANT052:028, located in the adjacent property to the west.
This northern end of the development area was tested via two 20m long machine-dug test trenches running north-south, set 10m apart. The work was carried out on 1 April 2021. Testing revealed that the area had been cleared of vegetation and topsoil-stripped prior to the testing taking place. Nothing of archaeological interest uncovered in the testing.
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