Excavation

Date 16 December 1996 - 20 December 1996

Event ID 1012143

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1012143

NS 4000 7446 A watching brief and small excavation were conducted at Dumbarton Castle by Kirkdale Archaeology in December 1996. The works involved the clearance of 300mm of floor deposits in the 18th-century powder magazine, in advance of the installation of a new floor and the opening of the magazine exhibition to the public. In addition, a small trench was excavated to the W of the 18th-century Governor's House, in advance of the installation of a moveable gate-post.

Various backfilling and levelling deposits were found in the trench; a lead pipe, some 60-80mm in diameter, was found at a depth of 450mm. The remains of a capped drain were also revealed. This feature ran parallel to, and may have formerly served the Governor's House. No datable finds were revealed. The drain comprised well-mortared dolerite blocks on the E side and a single red sandstone slab on the W, with an irregular flattened dolerite slab collapsing into the channel so defined. The survival of the drain indicates that such features may survive beneath 1735 levelling material. It is of particular interest that the levelling medium may even overlie the remains of the medieval gate-house and nether bailey.

Clearance work was undertaken in the powder magazine, situated at the second highest point of the rock, known as 'The Beak', and measured 4.4 x 5.2m internally. The building was erected in 1748, replacing an earlier magazine on the site. The in situ floor deposit comprised random brick rubble and mortar-rich sand. The bricks were relatively modern, being frogged and uniformly sized. The original sprung timber floor would have lain some 200mm below the present surface, resting on slight ledges protruding from the bases of the interior long walls, which were founded directly on the bedrock. The brick rubble deposit represents a period post-dating the use of the building to store explosives, as it blocked the vents in the long walls necessary to maintain a damp-free environment internally. Finds include occasional iron nails, and three larger iron bars. None of the finds were removed from the site

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

G Ewart and A Dunn 1997