Test Pit Survey

Date 1 November 2016 - 2 November 2016

Event ID 1024109

Category Recording

Type Test Pit Survey

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1024109

Addyman Archaeology was contracted by Gardiner and Theobald on behalf of Edinburgh Printmakers to undertake an archaeological watching brief during geotechnical investigations at the former North British Rubber Company buildings, 2 Gilmore Park, Edinburgh. It is proposed to convert and extend the structures to provide a new base for the Edinburgh Printmakers. A series of eight test-pits were excavated: one to reveal the soil morphology over the maximum excavatable depth (Test-Pit 1), three for plate load testing purposes (TP's 2, 3, 6), and four to reveal the depth of the building's foundations (TP's 4, 5, 7, 8). Stratigraphy within test-pit 1 showed over 2.0m of made ground overlying natural silty clay and boulder clays, with no archaeological finds or features present; made ground was noted in all test-pits, extending below the excavated depth in test-pits 2, 3, 5, and 6, and overlying the natural boulder clay in test-pits 4, 7, and 8. Stepped aggregate building foundations were seen within TP7, while the foundations within TP8 were non-stepped brick; the foundations within in both trenches were located at approximately 1.6m below the present ground level. TP5 showed the lower wall exposed within the trench to be plastered and painted, suggesting a cellar level or open area now in-filled. The watching brief revealed the depth of the brick foundations of the surviving building and also revealed a possible cellar within Test Pit 5, suggesting there may have been a former building in this area. The site has clearly been severely been affected by modern demolition, with demolition rubble encountered in all trenches, however only one of the test pits excavated was deep enough to reach natural deposits. It is therefore possible that although not encountered, building foundations and other archaeological deposits may survive in isolated areas within and below the made ground that stretches across the development area.

Information from Andrew Morrison (Addyman Archaeology) November 2016. OASIS ID: addymana1-268640