Archaeological Evaluation

Date 10 October 2002 - 28 January 2003

Event ID 1038068

Category Recording

Type Archaeological Evaluation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1038068

An archaeological evaluation involving the excavation of five trenches was carried out on the site of the former Cowgate Nursery School, Edinburgh. The evaluation demonstrated that significant archaeological deposits survived beneath the proposed development site. The earliest were characterised as medieval midden deposits and were identified in all trenches at a minimum of 1 m below present ground surface. It is clear from a previous borehole survey that these deposits are up to three metres thick in the east of the site. Stone walls, surfaces and culverts were constructed on top of these midden deposits at a minimum depth of only 0.35m below the surface left following demolition of the former nursery. These were likely to have related to buildings constructed on either side of narrow closes, and depicted on maps from the 16th century on. An assemblage of mainly post-medieval artefacts were recovered from the site, although some earlier medieval material was also present.

Information from Headland Archaeology Ltd.