Excavation

Date 3 October 2002 - 8 October 2002

Event ID 1034288

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1034288

Under the terms of its P.I.C. call-out contract with Historic Scotland, Kirkdale Archaeology was asked to undertake an archaeological evaluation at Aberdour Castle. This comprised the excavation of a series of investigative test pits to assess the archaeological potential which might be disturbed by the planting of a protective hedge line on one of the terraces in the gardens.

The site of the work would be the second terrace down from the castle on the N side of the gardens (Fig. 1). This terrace is one of the last survivors of the original arrangement of 7 terraces around the N and W sides of the area to the N of the castle main structure. This terrace is notable for the precarious nature of the revetting wall along the S edge of the feature, which leans out to the S at an alarming angle. The wall of rough whinstone blocks has now been made safe by the construction of 12 buttresses. The parapet wall running along the top of the main revetment is a partly derelict sandstone structure which only requires its original cope stones to be complete but which for the moment will be consolidated in its present state.

The intention is to plant a hedge along the S edge of the terrace just inside the line of the parapet wall.

The 3 test pits spaced along the terrace were dug to establish whether the projected depth of the roots (600mm) will damage original garden features - in particular layouts of ornamental flower beds now buried below later levels of soil believed to have been imported to create a market garden.

It is clear that little damage will be caused down to a depth of 500mm. At this point the superficial deposits change into terrace surface. It is noted that depressions along the central part of the terrace against the wall may represent a long investigative trench cut to halt the lean on the wall. It is also noted that the far end of the terrace has been levelled up on the 1980s to take account of the rebuilding of the E end of the terrace revetment.

G Ewart 2002

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

Kirkdale Archaeology