Watching Brief

Date 2004

Event ID 1106862

Category Recording

Type Watching Brief

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1106862

30 Holding, Coupar Angus

NO 220 376 (centre) A watching brief was carried out between August 2003 and February 2004 on groundworks for a new house to be built partly over a Roman temporary camp of Severan date (NO23NW 5). The area topsoiled encompassed parts of the interior, the ditch and exterior of the camp. The defensive ditch was found and a 0.75m wide section was excavated. The ditch had a standard Roman V-shaped profile, measuring 2.3m across with a depth of 0.75m. No dating evidence or artefacts were recovered.

An irregular-shaped patch of burning, characterised by a surrounding ring of heat-affected orange sand, was interpreted as a hearth. The feature measured 1m across and had a depth of 0.11m with sharp edges and a flat bottom. The fill comprised a charcoal-flecked mid-brown silty loam and a deposit of charcoal. It was uncertain as to whether the feature was contemporary with the Roman camp.

A further watching brief on the foundation trenches revealed an additional section of the defensive ditch in a foundation trench for the new house. No dating evidence or artefacts were recovered.

A narrow (0.18m) ditch was found in the same foundation trench, on a slightly different alignment to the defensive ditch. The silt fill contained small fragments of porcelain. This was judged to be a modern drainage feature.

Archive to be deposited in the NMRS.

Sponsor: Mr W McAllister.

R Cachart 2004