Watching Brief

Date November 1993

Event ID 1123800

Category Recording

Type Watching Brief

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1123800

NS 94 20 A watching brief was conducted in November 1993 in order to monitor the felling and subsequent removal of two electricity towers, XA200 and XA201, on the 275kv transmission line between Strathaven and Harker. Both towers were situated within the scheduled area which contains this extensive settlement. Scheduled monument consent was obtained before the start of work.

The complete superstructures were felled, but damage was restricted to the topsoil. All materials were then removed by helicopter, thus minimising ground disturbance. Excavations to remove the four concrete foundation blocks. which extended 1.Om below ground, were to affect only those areas previously disturbed during construction. However, the excavation of small areas of undisturbed ground adjacent to the original foundation trench was unavoidable. This allowed the surrounding deposits to be viewed in section, prior to removal of the foundation itself.

Tower XA200 was situated at the periphery of the settlement, at the N boundary of the scheduled area. It was therefore possible to fell the tower northwards and outwith the sensitive area. Excavation of the foundations revealed nothing of archaeological significance. A fairly shallow topsoil, c 0.1m in depth, overlay a subsoil of yellow-grey sand and gravels which continued below the excavated depth of 1.Om from ground surface. No artefacts were recovered and no features were noted.

Tower XA201 was located at the E boundary of the scheduled area, downslope from the northernmost identified platform. The presence of a drystone dyke, which forms the eastern boundary of the scheduled area, required the tower to be felled westwards. This caused minimal damage to the turfline. No archaeological remains were identified during removal of the foundation blocks. The topsoil, 0.1m in depth, overlay an identical sand and gravel deposit to that identified at tower XA200.

The foundation trenches were then backfilled and the topsoil reinstated. The use of only two tracked vehicles, one required to excavate the foundations and one to dissemble the metal structure of the tower, resulted in a minimal amount of damage to the ground surface.

Sponsor: Scottish Power plc.

CFA 1994t.