Excavation

Date 5 April 2007 - 14 August 2007

Event ID 1019663

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1019663

Under the terms of its PIC call-off contract with Historic Scotland, Kirkdale

Archaeology was asked to oversee the excavation of a trench at Edinburgh Castle. Work took place intermittently between 05 April 2007 and 14 August 2007.

The work comprised two elements - firstly a service trench was monitored and recorded and secondly an area was excavated archaeologically. The former was c. 65m long, 400mm wide and up to 700mm deep, running from the area of the present restaurant to a point 9m W of the Portcullis Gate. The archaeological trench measured 8.4m x 4.2m and lay immediately W of the Portcullis Gate, immediately N of the roadway. The service trench contained possible evidence of the late 14thC Constable’s Tower in the form of sandstone blocks visible in section lying towards the

Eastern end of the trench. Towards the W end of the track several areas of crude metalling were revealed most likely associated with successive versions of access roadway on the approach to Mills Mount.

The earliest features in the archaeological trench related to a road surfaces thought to predate the present route to the Portcullis Gate (finished by 1577). These were succeeded by evidence of industrial activity , possibly a forge. Finally a much repaired drain cut these horizons at the E end of the trench . This feature ran out to the N and in its earliest phase (late 17th –early 18thC) saw the reuse of a fine architectural window

fragment as a cover . In addition, a knife with a elaborately carved handle was found in the construction cut for the earliest drain.

Information from Gordon Ewart and Alan Radley (Kirdale Archaeology) 13 September 2007. OASIS ID: kirkdale1-249629