Trial Trench
Date 18 August 2018 - 25 August 2018
Event ID 1088327
Category Recording
Type Trial Trench
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1088327
NS 2328 1029 and NS 2337 1033 Excavation work was
conducted, 18–25 August 2018, 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 (NS21SW 1.05) and two within the Stables Caves
(NS21SW 1.06).
Trenches 1 and 4, in the Castle Caves were excavated last
year. In 2018 Trench 2 was excavated at the foot of the wall
below the latrine chute outside the cave wall. A small trench
0.5 x 0.5m was excavated down to a depth of 0.4m but only
modern material, including glass and plastic was recovered.
Of the two trenches proposed for the Stables Cave, only
Trench 5 was excavated in 2017 at the main NW-facing
entrance. This revealed that there had been a walled entrance
in this location. This trench was widened in 2018 to reveal
the full width of the doorway. This uncovered the southern
side of the doorway with a similar door check and drawbar
hole to the N side. The width of the entrance passage was
1.1m wide and it had several large irregular flagstones as a
floor. Artefacts recovered included pottery, glass and animal
bone. Within the interior of the Stables Cave Trench 6 was
positioned close to the back and measured 1.5 x 1.5m. Apart
from some modern material in the upper layers, the majority
of the 0.5m deep material removed from this trench was inwashed
beach sands and pebbles overlying basalt blocks of
collapsed roof.
Further detailed planning of the interior of the Stables Cave
and the base of the cliff was undertaken.
Archive: NTS and NRHE (intended)
Funder: National Trust for Scotland
Derek Alexander – The National Trust for Scotland
(Source: DES, Volume 19)