Excavation

Date 17 September 2017 - 18 December 2017

Event ID 1039670

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1039670

NS 88850 88522 – The Pineapple (walled garden) and NS 88820 88488 – The Pineapple (glasshouse) As part of this project (a cross-sector skills and training initiative) a programme of archaeological work was undertaken, 17 September – 18 December 2017, within the category A listed mid- to late 18th-century walled garden, and the glasshouse and folly, built by the 4th Earl of Dunmore and located within the Dunmore Estate.

The work consisted of a two-day evaluation excavation, a small photographic survey and basic level historic building recording of the interior NW portion of the walled garden. The excavation aimed to explore any surviving remains of a former glasshouse located in the interior of the walled garden and the garden ground makeup forming the interior garden ground. The main objectives were to understand the construction and use of the glasshouse and the surrounding garden ground, to interpret and communicate their story, and to provide a basis for the glasshouse reconstruction.

The historic building recording aimed to provide a training opportunity for participants and to make an initial appraisal of the extant remains of the walled garden to inform the approach for future historic building recording.

Students from the Forth Valley College studying construction, and archaeology students took part in the excavation, receiving training in archaeological fieldwork skills. A desk-based assessment of The Pineapple utilised information available from databases, and has examined

cartographic material. The assessment revealed the changing layout of the folly and glasshouses, and the internal walled garden layout and associated structures. The glasshouse appears to be a mid- to late 19th-century structure, still standing (if not in use) until c1960. A trench was excavated across the footprint of the glasshouse, and two small test pits were dug within the walled garden grounds. Features identified within the glasshouse trench included the remains of internal walling, surfacing / flooring, and a possible heating duct trench; the test pits in the garden ground revealed at least two likely phases of garden ground formation, together with a garden land drain.

The historic building recording and photographic survey revealed evidence for three phases of construction and/or alteration within the NW part of the walled garden wall. The results of the work have been used to provide a series of recommendations for future work as part of the Canal College 2 programme.

Archive and report: NRHE (intended)

Funder: Historic Environment Scotland (HES), Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, and Construction Scotland Innovation Centre

Ian Hill, Phil Richardson, Rebecca Barclay and Doug Rocks-Macqueen – Heritage and Archaeological Research Practice Ltd and Archaeology Scotland

(Source: DES, Volume 18)