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Watching Brief
Date 14 July 1997
Event ID 1013190
Category Recording
Type Watching Brief
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1013190
NJ 221 630 A short watching brief was carried out by Kirkdale Archaeology in the area immediately S of the Bishops House. The groundworks involved two trenches being dug by machine and then cleaned by hand. The features recorded were 20th century in date.
The implications of excavating a soakaway to the S of the S tower of the W doorway were also investigated. After removal of topsoil and cleaning of the exposed surface, it was clear that the whole area represented disturbed ground with seven individual graves being identifiable (including the fragment of a base for a probable table tomb), and that it would not be possible to excavate further without disturbing burials. It was decided to open a second narrow trench against the SW angle and W face of the tower, where it was discovered that an existing, modern drainage channel had been cut against the base of the tower and ran into a rubble-filled soakaway area against the bottom step.
No undisturbed natural horizons were identified within the excavated areas, indicating that the whole area has been massively disturbed, probably entirely by graveyard activity.
Sponsor: Historic Scotland
G Ewart and A Radley 1997
