County: Armagh Site name: Ballycullen Road, Charlemont
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/21/120
Author: Scott Ingram
Site type: Prehistoric house & post-medieval battlefield
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 685090m, N 855541m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.441269, -6.688235
The archaeology uncovered and excavated was widely dispersed across the entire site, and consisted primarily of the following:
• A large assemblage of metal artefacts, recovered during the metal detecting survey as well as during excavation; this included a musket barrel, 58 coins (silver and copper alloy pieces dating from Elizabeth I to George VI), 234 pieces of lead shot (complete, partial, and impacted), 100 buttons (military and civilian), 135 miscellaneous lead objects, 71 copper alloy artefacts which included buckles and fittings, 125 heavily corroded iron objects, and two small silver objects. These finds are a reflection of the numerous battles and skirmishes that took place around the historic village and fort of Charlemont during the 17th century. These conflicts include the Nine Years War, the 1641 Irish Rebellion, the Irish Confederate Wars, the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland and the Williamite wars. Several of the artefacts recovered date to the 18th and 19th centuries highlighting the fact that Charlemont fort remained in use as a military garrison up until the mid-19th century.
• A large assemblage of pottery, lithics, clay pipe fragments, glass and brick was also recovered during field walking and excavation.
• The foundations of a stone building, recorded on the Historic Ordnance Survey mapping (1st, 2nd, and 3rd editions).
• Several post-medieval agricultural ditches/boundaries dating to the 17th and 18th centuries. These are a representation of the rural landscape surrounding the historic village of Charlemont.
• Two large ditches, running north-north-east to south-south-west and north-west to south-east were excavated. These are defensive features and represent the historic town ditch of Charlemont village.
• A prehistoric roundhouse, located in the western portion of the site, with several internal pits and post-holes.
• Approximately 20 other pits and post-holes that were dispersed throughout the site, including a charcoal-production pit and a prehistoric pit filled with scorched stone.
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