Buried for almost 200 years? Ballycastle excavation seeks answers to historic mystery
Remnants of Boyd’s Wall jutting out of the Margy River as it flows into the sea at Ballycastle on the Antrim coast. (Image: Anne Kelly)
Monday 12 October 2026
A centuries-old mystery beneath Ballycastle is set to be investigated as archaeologists begin a two-week excavation today (Monday 12 October), with local schoolchildren and volunteers invited to help uncover a missing piece of the town’s industrial past.
The dig, beside the River Tow at Townparks, will search for the remains of a building that appeared on a map in 1786 but had disappeared from records by the 1830s.
Researchers believe it could be connected to a long-lost linen bleachyard established by Colonel Hugh Boyd, the 18th-century landlord credited with transforming Ballycastle into an industrial town.
A building that vanished from history
The mystery centres on a structure recorded on an estate map in 1786, close to an area traditionally known as the Bleach Green.
By the time the first Ordnance Survey six-inch map was produced in the 1830s, the building had disappeared, leaving archaeologists uncertain about its original purpose.
Colonel Boyd (c.1690–1765) played a significant role in Ballycastle’s development, establishing industries including coal mining, salt production and linen bleaching, while also developing the town’s harbour.
His bleachyard was part of that industrial expansion, although it appears to have operated for a relatively short period. The yard was sold in 1775, while the 1831 Ordnance Survey Memoirs recorded that the bleach green had been discontinued and its buildings removed.
The building shown on the 1786 map may have been connected to the bleaching operation, but that has yet to be established.
Archaeologists hope to solve the puzzle
Boyd’s Wall in Ballycastle. (Image: Anne Kelly)
The excavation is being directed by Dr Colm Donnelly, Co-Director of the Centre for Community Archaeology at Queen’s University Belfast.
He said:
“This is a real archaeological puzzle.
“We have a building on a map, and a strong hint about what it might have been here. We won’t know until we open the ground. If we’re right, we may find stone and brick walls, drains and water channels.
“Whatever we find, we hope it will tell us more about how Colonel Boyd’s Ballycastle worked.”
The excavation could reveal physical evidence of how the site was used, potentially providing new insight into the industries that shaped Ballycastle during the 1700s.
Local schoolchildren and volunteers invited to take part
The project is designed to involve the local community directly in archaeological discovery, rather than limiting the excavation to professional researchers.
School groups will work alongside archaeologists during morning sessions, while adult volunteers will have opportunities to participate in the afternoons.
The organised sessions will run on weekdays between Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 21 October, with the following arrangements:
• School groups: 10.00am–12 noon.
• Adult volunteers: 2.00pm–4.00pm, with ten places available per afternoon session.
• Public Open Afternoon: Saturday 17 October at 3.00pm.
During Saturday’s public event, archaeologists will explain their discoveries and give visitors an opportunity to learn more about the investigation.
Dr Donnelly added:
“This community archaeology project will give people the chance to be part of discovering their own town’s story.”
How to volunteer or visit the excavation
The excavation takes place on private land at Townparks, Ballycastle, beside the River Tow. Access will be arranged only through organised sessions and events.
Anyone interested in volunteering can contact Dr Nicholas Wright, Ballycastle Museum Project Officer, by emailing nic.wright@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk.
The archaeological investigation runs from Monday 12 until Friday 23 October 2026.
It forms part of the Community Archaeology Programme Northern Ireland (CAPNI), funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and is being delivered in partnership with Ballycastle Museum.
Whether the excavation uncovers Colonel Boyd’s missing bleachyard or evidence of another forgotten building, the discoveries could help piece together a chapter of Ballycastle’s history that has remained uncertain for almost two centuries.
