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Watching Brief

Date 7 December 1999

Event ID 1028638

Category Recording

Type Watching Brief

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1028638

A watching brief was maintained during the excavation of an electricity cable trench at Clackmannan Tower in December 1999. The trench, excavated by a small mechanical excavator, ran between an existing manhole immediately within the remains of a barmkin enclosure on the E side of the tower house. The trench was dug towards the E doorway and measured c 16m E-W, being up to 600mm deep.

Two sherds of reduced post-medieval pottery (jug and handle sherds) were found along with the base of a glass bottle. Initial assessment suggests that these finds date to the 17th century. The present ground level within the E barmkin enclosure is at the same level as the threshold in the E door, while to the S a long range of buildings both defines the S limits of the barmkin, and revets the barmkin terrace. The ground level to the S of this S range is significantly lower than that within the present barmkin.

The findings from the excavation suggest that the present barmkin is the result of landscaping of the natural hill summit, with dumping of material directly over the clean clay horizon. There was no sign of a cobbled surface extant within the barmkin, although a shallow spread of loose stones and small rubble fragments may represent a damaged surface.

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

G Ewart

Kirkdale Archaeology

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References