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Sandhill occupation site is a Neolithic settlement located near Coleraine in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The site lies on bedrock composed of Palaeogene extrusive rocks—primarily mafic lavas and tuffs—which form part of the ancient volcanic geology underlying much of the north Irish landscape. This distinctive geology would have influenced both the immediate environment and the availability of stone resources for Neolithic occupants.
The occupation site represents evidence of early farming communities in the region, dating to the Neolithic period when agriculture and animal husbandry were establishing themselves across Ireland. Archaeological work at such sites typically reveals the material culture and settlement patterns of these early farmers, including pottery, tools and evidence of domestic activity spread across the landscape.
The site is now designated and protected by the Historic Environment Division of the Department for Communities, registered under monument reference 13936. This protection ensures the preservation of the site's archaeological deposits and its contribution to understanding Neolithic settlement, economy and adaptation to the local environment along the north Irish coast and hinterland.
Sandhill occupation site is a scheduled monument protected by Department for Communities NI under reference 13936. View the official record →
Sandhill occupation site is a Neolithic settlement located near Coleraine in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) under reference 13936.
Sandhill occupation site dates from the neolithic period, and is classified as a occupation site. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Sandhill occupation site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by DfC Northern Ireland (NISMR) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Ni. The official designation reference is 13936.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Standing stone (3.5 km), Rath (5.5 km), Rath (5.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Sandhill occupation site's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Sandhill occupation site stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Palaeogene, bedrock that formed in the Paleogene. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.