Excavation

Date 4 March 2014 - 25 April 2014

Event ID 1034554

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1034554

In Spring 2014 Kirkdale Archaeology were asked to complete an excavation in Edinburgh Castle in preparation for the construction of a memorial garden. The area of excavation followed the footprint of the proposed memorial garden and as such, defines an irregular trench up to c.10m N/S x 10m E/W, located immediately S of the present paved roadway S of St Margaret’s Chapel (Fig. 7). The site is known to have been extensively cleared alongside the construction of the National War Memorial in 1923 - creating an informal garden area with low shrubs and bushes surrounded by lawn.

The recent excavation has revealed archaeological features associated with four principal phases of clearance/construction/occupation:

1. Residual bedrock features;

2. Governor’s Garden;

3. Construction and use of Cook House; and,

4. Demolition of existing service structures associated with the construction of the new National War Memorial.

For more information please see the full report.

G Ewart 2014

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

Kirkdale Archaeology