Watching Brief

Date 20 May 2015

Event ID 1034516

Category Recording

Type Watching Brief

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1034516

Under the terms of its PIC contract with Historic Scotland, Kirkdale Archaeology was asked to carry out an archaeological watching brief during the excavation of two trenches to house new signage at Hermitage Castle near Larriston in the Scottish Borders.

Both trenches showed clear evidence of landscaping and clearance in the form of the rubble rich deposits encountered below the present ground surface. The debris was apparently a post-demolition spread, creating the wide terrace which surrounds the castle. It is likely that the depth of the landscaping will not exceed 0.5m, on the evidence of the shallow wall lines noted to the south-east of Trench 1 and the possible old ground level (203 in Trench 2). It was also clear that the base of the castle's wall on its northern side had been excavated and exposed to below the general present level of the terrace on the south side of the castle.

In general, the evidence suggests that the site has been landscaped after clearance / excavation in the 20th century, primarily in the vicinity of the upstanding walls. Spoil was used to level the ground, but it overlies earlier demolition debris.

OASIS Id: kirkdale1-311367