Watching Brief

Date 15 August 2001 - 16 August 2001

Event ID 1031787

Category Recording

Type Watching Brief

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1031787

Under its call-off contract with Historic Scotland, Kirkdale Archaeology were asked to monitor the removal of the fill of a well, located within Craignethan Castle. The Castle is an outstanding example of a late medieval artillery defence, standing on a steep promontory above the river Nethan, a tributary of the Clyde, approachable only from the W. The Castle takes the form of an outer and inner courtyard, separated by a large ditch and a (now severely reduced) massive wall, with an oblong keep within the inner courtyard.

At the end of the excavation a depth of 2.7m below floor level had been reached, meaning that approximately 1.35m of fill was removed. Five courses of high quality ashlar masonry had been revealed, with no sign of the bottom of the well. The excavation of this well demonstrates that at least the upper fill of this feature is 20th century in origin.

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

G Ewart & D Murray 2001

Kirkdale Archaeology