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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)

People and Organisations

References