Trial Trench

Date 1997

Event ID 1000132

Category Recording

Type Trial Trench

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1000132

NS 5086 6787 Trial trenching was undertaken at the site of the 13th-14th-century castle in Renfrew. Desk-based research, geophysical survey and test-pitting (Alexander 1996) suggested that the site had been greatly disturbed. Following dismantling of the castle much of the stone had been removed from the site and used in the construction of a soap works. The site was subsequently built over by Castlehill House and its extensive gardens. Demolition of this structure, its levelling and creation of a playground led to further disturbance, while repeated development on the fringes of the site has gradually removed traces of the original castle mound and ditch. Excavation of three trenches confirmed this disturbance and located the brick-built foundation of the large bay window (recorded on maps and photographs) at the NW corner of Castlehill House. A trench located in the southern part of the park recovered a line of stone paving. In front of and below this stone paving were the remains of either a rubble-filled foundation trench or the rubble core of a wall, the facing stones of which had been robbed. A layer of clay to the S of the stone paving contained sherds of 12th-14th-century cooking vessels. It is possible that these remains represent traces of the royal castle of Renfrew.

Sponsors: Renfrewshire Council, Renfrewshire Local History Forum Archaeology Section.

D Alexander 1997