Watching Brief

Date 10 January 2000 - 14 January 2000

Event ID 1028668

Category Recording

Type Watching Brief

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1028668

HY 248 277 Archaeological monitoring was undertaken of a service trench. The monument (NMRS HY22NW 6) takes the form of a rectangular block, orientated N-S, with a central courtyard surrounded by ranges, now roofless shells, with towers projecting from all but the NW corner.

The hand-dug trench was to carry electricity between the two towers projecting S from the S facade of the palace, both of which are still roofed. The only archaeological feature noted in the trench was an 800mm wide stretch of drystone walling, not excavated, but apparently reduced to a single course. Although the trench was very narrow, the wall could be seen to be built of sandstone blocks, and had a good E face, but a poorly preserved W one. It lay 200mm below modern ground level. This wall ran N-S: the same orientation as the E wall of the SW tower, although set slightly back (to the W of its line). This was not removed, and the electricity cable was to run over it. The monument was used as farm outbuildings in the recent past, and a drystone dyke might fit with such a use.

There was a lack of dateable finds from the excavation, but the wall seems likely to post-date the construction of the SW tower. The layer overlying this wall contained sandstone fragments and some mortar, which may represent material fallen from the decaying palace.

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

P Sharman 2000

Kirkdale Archaeology