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Standing Building Recording

Date 14 September 2015 - 6 June 2016

Event ID 1039942

Category Recording

Type Standing Building Recording

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1039942

Further building recording work and watching briefs took place at Riddles Court between 2015 and 2016. The principal features recorded included seven hitherto unrecorded fireplaces dating from the late 16th century to the late 19th century. The earliest and largest fireplace was found on the ground floor of the West Block. This was an arched fireplace with a later fireplace and coal cupboard inserted within it. Once these later features were removed a bread oven and salt press was found within the interior of the fireplace. Investigative work within the North Block revealed the presence of two painted beam and board ceilings. A first floor ceiling had a series of painted beams and all but one painted board survived. This appears to have similar artwork with a ceremonial painted ceiling installed to commemorate a royal visit by the Duke of Holstein brother in law of James V1 of Scotland. A second painted ceiling was found to have survived in a better condition on the second floor. The artwork was a mixture of foliate swirls and patterns within a series of parallel borders. A third ceiling was found at the roof level when the existing ceiling was removed. This revealed an original third floor. The pine planks were lifted to reveal tempra artwork below. The artwork was seen to be the same as that on the painted ceiling at second floor level suggesting that they were by the same artist. Floor reduction work within the ground floor of the North Block revealed historic cobble flooring above various earlier beaten floor layers. The results have allowed the revision of the earlier phase development model. During phase 1 the building was assessed for dendrochronological dating which then took place during phase 2. One timber was found to have definitely been felled in spring 1586 AD which ties in with the date stone of 1587 AD in the West Block. The North Block was constructed first, and the tree-ring correlations show that there was only three years or so between the construction of the two buildings. Information from Michael Cressey (CFA Archaeology Ltd) November 2017.

OASIS ID: cfaarcha1-297858

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