Excavation

Date 11 November 2013 - 29 November 2013

Event ID 1000043

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1000043

An archaeological excavation was undertaken by AOC Archaeology Group on behalf of Edinburgh City Council prior to the redevelopment of Fort House, Leith. The site was previously utilised as an extension to the adjacent gun battery and fort built in 1780. It is contained to the SE, SW and NW by the original 19th century boundary wall which, along with two gate house buildings, still survive as B-Listed structures. A previous evaluation and watching brief conducted in 2012 and 2013 indicated that there had been survival of the fort buildings and possible earlier soil horizons underneath and out with the modern building footprint. Excavations of 6 areas within the development site revealed several phases of fort construction that coincide with the cartographic and historical evidence. Furthermore, the earlier soil horizons provided earlier ceramic and other artefacts that can help provide dates for the use of the area in the medieval and post medieval period. Finally, a boundary ditch relating to the earlier agricultural activity on the site and a series of post holes running parallel to it were revealed along the NW boundary of the site.

Information from Kevin Paton (AOC Archaeology Group) 24 January 2014. OASIS ID: aocarcha1-166823