Excavation

Date 17 March 2004 - 18 March 2004

Event ID 1034357

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1034357

Under the terms of its PIC call-off contract with Historic Scotland, Kirkdale Archaeology was asked to undertake a watching brief at Earl's Palace, Kirkwall, Orkney, (NGR HY 449107) on 17th March 2004. The work was required in advance of the construction of a ramp for wheelchair access into the main entrance of the Sheriff Court House. The call-out was required to ensure that the work minimised disturbance to the site, with a maximum depth of 450mm below the current ground surface, ensure that any damage to archaeological features was restricted to a defined area, and ensure a full and permanent record of any archaeology that could not be left in place.

The location of the foundation trench for the ramp was along the putative line of the E-W oriented S wall of the S range of the palace. It is not certain if the range was completed, although it is clear that it was intended to extend westwards to join the S end of the Bishop's Palace, to form a large complex round three sides of a courtyard (Pringle 1999, 35 & 38). However, a raggle for a pitched roof on the W gable of the upstanding range indicates that a building may have stood here, possibly the brewhouse (Pringle 1999, 35 & 38).

Gordon Ewart 2004

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

Kirkdale Archaeology