Geophysical Survey

Date 1989 - 1991

Event ID 1000792

Category Recording

Type Geophysical Survey

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1000792

A geophysical survey was undertaken in the environs of the Earl's Bu, as the first stage of investigation of the site in advance of a proposed development for visitor car-parking. In 1989 and 1990, geophysical surveys were conducted immediately to the N of the churchyard wall and produced results which implied the presence of significant archaeological deposits, and in an area to the W which also produced promising results.

In 1991, resistivity and gradiometer surveys were conducted in concurrence with each other. The results of the resistivity survey demonstrated curvilinear features, possibly concentric, the inner-most of which may be circular and possibly represents walling. Within these are three series of linear features. The results of the gradiometer survey suffered from metallic interference yet still produced promising results, including curvilinear features, some of which were detected last year, and putative linear anomolies.

Sponsor: Dept of Planning and Museums, Orkney Islands Council.

P G Johnson and R C Harry 1991.