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Excavation
Date June 2017 - July 2017
Event ID 1109313
Category Recording
Type Excavation
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1109313
NT 26160 75960 An excavation was carried out. The excavation identified extensive remains relating to Bonnington Mills, with the footprints of the excavated features matching those depicted on the 1876 Ordnance Survey Town Plan. A number of these features were depicted on the earlier 1852 Ordnance Survey Town Plan constituting parts of Leith Distillery, but had been heavily modified when the flour mill was constructed. There was little evidence of subsequent development on the site apart from the installation of a network of railway tracks (first depicted on 1894 Ordnance Survey Town Plan). Other additions on subsequent Ordnance Survey Editions from 1894 onwards were not identified suggesting that these may have been fairly lightweight/temporary structures.
A possible earlier building was identified underlying an area of cobbling. This is thought to be either an earlier distillery building or a garden feature associated with Bonnington House. It is not depicted on Kirkwood’s 1817 map or any subsequent map editions, and earlier maps depicting the distillery are not of sufficient quality to allow it to be identified.
The identified footprints of the Bonnington Chemical Works largely matched those depicted on the 1876 Ordnance Survey Town Plan. Some additional features including a tar pit appear to have been added subsequently. These features overlay the fragmentary remains of an earlier chemical works building depicted on the 1852 Ordnance Survey Town Plan.
Information from I. Suddaby and M. Kirby - CFA Archaeology Ltd, 2019.
(Source: DES Vol 20)
OASIS ID: cfaarcha1-367688
