Watching Brief

Date 19 January 2015 - 17 March 2015

Event ID 1084956

Category Recording

Type Watching Brief

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1084956

Under the terms of its PIC contract with Historic Scotland, Kirkdale Archaeology was asked at carry out a watching brief at Linlithgow Palace during the replacement of the existing cobbles around the south and east portions of the courtyard. The work involved the lifting of the extant cobbles, partial cutting-back of the bedding layer below, and the resetting of the cobbles in a new bed.

The work was undertaken by hand, by Historic Scotland staff under archaeological supervision, and was carried out in four discrete phases on the 9th, 15th and 22nd February, 2016, and the 17th March, 2016.

Despite the relative shallowness of the excavations, this exercise has proven itself to be of value in furthering our understanding of the development of the palace via the differences in style and alignment of the various base courses encountered, along with the discovery of some other enigmatic features. As the cobbles are still to be lifted and re-laid along the north and west courtyard walls, it is highly recommended that this future exercise be accompanied by an archaeological watching brief.

G Ewart 2015

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

Kirkdale Archaeology