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Trial Trench
Date 3 June 2017 - 8 June 2017
Event ID 1040875
Category Recording
Type Trial Trench
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1040875
NS 2328 1029 and NS 2337 1033 Excavation work was conducted, 3–8 June 2017, in the Culzean Caves as part of a National Trust for Scotland Thistle Camp. The proposal had been to excavate four trenches within the Castle Caves (NS21SW1.05) and two within the Stables Caves (NS21SW1.06).
Trench 1 was excavated at the mouth of the Castles Cave and revealed the foundation of the stone wall that crosses the entrance. Trench 2 was not excavated. Trench 3 examined a small dry area on the S side of the lower chamber but bedrock was discovered only a few centimetres down. Trench 4 re-excavated the 1960s trench in the upper chamber and a detailed plan of the chamber was drawn.
Of the two trenches proposed for the Stables Cave only Trench 5 was excavated at the main NW-facing entrance. This revealed that there had been a walled entrance in this location. A section of wall 0.95m wide was found and it had a check for a door and a draw-bar hole. The wall survives to a depth of c1m and stands 8 courses high. A detailed plan of the interior of the Stables Cave was undertaken.
Archive: NTS, WoSAS and NRHE (intended)
Funder: National Trust for Scotland
Derek Alexander – National Trust for Scotland
(Source: DES, Volume 18)
