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Excavation

Date 4 March 1991 - 24 May 1991

Event ID 1034052

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1034052

The excavation took place over 20 working days in order to (a) reveal the limits of a large stone structure immediately E of the late 14th century tower; (b) to shed light on the access route into the inner and outer courts; (c) to retrieve samples for corroborative dating of the firing of the vitrified rampart to the E of the hill summit; (d) to excavate a narrow track for a drain pipe at the S side of the tower complex.

Two main trenches were ultimately opened (K and L) - trench K over the assumed site of the stone building and trench, immediately to the N, linking with the inner face of the barmkin wall. The excavation results fall into 9 broad phases, reflecting 7 historic periods from a date prior to 1370 AD up unitl the present time.

Period 1: c1250-1370 AD

Previous excavation on the site has shown the presence of an extensive enclosure castle dating to the late 13th century, and the earliest structures and contexts revealed in the recent fieldwork, most likely date to that period.

Prior to the construction of the Barmkin wall in Period 2, a free standing rectangular stone building (Structure A) was built, below which traces of an earlier stone structure were found.

A short stretch of a very substantial wall (F 1108) aligned NS was found running beneath the barmkin wall (F1103) to an unknown point beyond the barmkin enclosure. It probably represents either some sort of division within the enclosure castle, or is part of a seperate tower-like building occupying the wide terrace immediately N of the barmkin. Structure A was defined by walls 1012, 1031, 1019/20 and 1207, creating a building 6.6m by 5.4m internally (EW and NS respectively).

Only parts of the structure were rvealed and no sign of an entrance was found, although it probably was in the S wall, approached ultimately from the inner court.

Period 2: c1370-1450

After the construction of the great tower by Robert II, the barmkin enclosure was established with an inner and outer court. This was achieved by the construction of a major wall (F1011) which ran from the S barmkin to abut the SE corner of Structure A, thus forming an enclosure with the Tower complex to the W. The earlier great wall F1108, was robbed of stone and was built over by the N barmkin wall (F1103).

Period 3: c1450-1550

Structure A continued in use after the castle passed from royal ownership, and was extended by the addition of another room E (Structure B). By the addition of walls 1010, 1014 and 1013 to the E gable of structure A, a building 5.4m (NS) by 3.4m (EW) internally was created. Access into 'B' appears to have been from the E, but there was no door between 'A' and 'B'. It is likely that 'B' was abandoned and partially demolished by the end of Period 3.

Period 4: c1530-1650

After the demolition of 'B', crude, vaguely circular stone settings were constructed against the outer face of the E wall of 'A'. These settings (F 1026 and F 1030) were of roughly mortared rubble and which may have supported posts for some lean-to-structure.

Period 5: c1750-1850

The local demolition of 'A' occurred at this time although it may well have been ruinous for a while prior to this. The building was then flattened and infilled with numerous dumps of rubble, some of which found its way over the N limits of 'A', to cover the period 1 and 2 surfaces found in trench L.

Period 6: c1850-1940

The area N of 'A' was infilled with a deep deposit of garden soil (F1016, 1028) which eventually saw use in allotment style cultivation around WWII, but which may well have stemmed from a more elaborate garden, perhaps in association with the extensive 19th century gardens of Audans House.

Period 7: c1940-1985.

The excavation revealed extensive evidence of the use of the site as a training ground for commandos in WWII (numerous .303 cartridge cases) but in the main, the 'modern' usage of this part of the site, has been that of a dump for spoil from various clearances and repairs to the tower, culminating in the ongoing programme of consolidation which started in 1985.

The short excavation confirmed therefore the presence of a highly significant stone building (A') the importance of which is implied by its strategic location on the limit of the bedrock summit, and its integration and extension during the 'royal' occupation of the Castle after 1370.

G Ewart 1991

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

Kirkdale Archaeology

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References