An excavation was carried out by Gahan & Long Ltd. in advance of proposed development of a Home Bargains store at Belfast Road, Carrickfergus. Initial testing determined that the majority of the site was archaeologically sterile; but human skeletal remains and graves were identified within part of the proposed development area. The area was heavily disturbed by activity relating to a 1950s textile factory, and the excavation was subsequently complicated by the presence of asbestos material throughout the site.
The excavation confirmed the existence of 107 grave cuts containing 119 individuals, with the remains of 68 disarticulated individuals also identified. Artefactual evidence and radiocarbon dating indicate that the burials date to the high medieval period. It is thought that these burials likely relate to the Premonstratensian Woodburn Abbey, which is known to have previously existed in close vicinity to the development site, but with its exact location not yet been identified.
