Archaeological Evaluation

Date 1996

Event ID 1001410

Category Recording

Type Archaeological Evaluation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1001410

NS 282 087 Archaeological evaluation at Baltersan tower house (NMRS NS 20 NE 1) including trial trench excavations and a resistivity survey was undertaken by GUARD in advance of proposed development of the building.

Hand-excavated trial trenches were opened on all sides of the building, but the results overall were disappointing. A linear feature identified by geophysical survey at the W side of the building was found to be a wall remnant, but there was no other evidence for a barmkin or enclosing wall. A stone-lined cess pit was exposed at the S face of the building, directly below the outfall of twin garderobes, overhead. The outfall was in the form of a simple arch, built into the mortared rubble foundations of the tower. Otherwise, the immediate environs of the building were without significant archaeological remains.

South of the building, machine-excavated trial trenches recorded land-fills in the form of redeposited, sterile subsoil dumps up to 1m in depth. These had been used to extend the limit of a natural stream terrace, thus creating a small rounded terrace or garden 'pleasance' which overlooks (Crossraguel) Abbey Burn on that side of the building.

Finds include a few sherds of Early Modern pottery and a small quantity of butchered animal bone.

Sponsor: ARP Lorimer & Associates (Architects) for Lichtsome Hoose Ltd.

S Halliday and J O'Sullivan, 1996; MS/725/127