Excavation

Date 4 October 1996 - 16 December 1996

Event ID 1012171

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1012171

Kirkdale Archaeology was contracted to monitor the clearance work in advance of the construction of a new toilet block and staff accommodation in the west range of the castle, the site of the 1687 Presbyterian Kirk as well as a large trench for the new septic tank on the north side of the north castle enclosure wall, and the excavation of associated drainage tracks to the east of this. This area had previously been investigated by trial trenching in August.

The wall in Trench 4 ran parallel to the present east wall of the west range, and may relate to some internal division within the Presbyterian Kirk. No finds were made, and so the exact date of the structure cannot be ascertained. The possible feature recorded in Trench 5 may also relate to the use of the area as a Presbyterian Kirk, although as with Trench 4 no finds were recovered which could aid in the interpretation of the feature.

The wall revealed at the east end of Trench 7 may relate to the 16th-century stables mentioned in the entry for Craigmillar Castle in the RCAHMS volume, which records such a structure as having stood against the north face of the north enclosure wall. No finds were made to either support or undermine this interpretation.

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

Kirkdale Archaeology

G Ewart and A Dunn 1996