Excavation

Date 2020

Event ID 1126907

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1126907

NT 8072 6051 Excavations were undertaken on the linear earthwork forming an enclosure close to Marygoldhill Plantation fort (Canmore ID: 59927). The enclosure is visible on the ground as a linear depression which partially encloses the fort, running for approximately 200m SE–NW, turning at a right angle to extend around 425m SW–NE and around 85m NW–SE. Entrances/breaks in the earthwork are suspected at its western end, on both the SE–NW and SW–NE stretches. The enclosure is generally considered to be an annexe of the nearby fort. Excavations were carried out at the site in 1983, following severe plough damage. The ditch was found to be V-shaped, 5m in width, with a bank measuring around 3m in width on the interior. Excavations were halted at 3m in depth, which appears to have been close to the lowest point of the ditch. The objectives of the current excavations were to explore the nature and condition of the earthworks with a view to gaining a better understanding of the form, function and date of the ditch.

A trench 9 x 2.5m and was placed across the ditch on an SW–NE alignment, close to the northern edge of the plantation. An extension around 2m and 1.5m wide was later added to the SW, to catch the edge of the outer bank.

The outer bank was found to be formed of a stony, mixed deposit surviving to a depth of around 0.2m which overlay a layer of weathered natural. Running along the exterior edge of the outer bank were the traces of a wall formed of rounded and sub-angular stones up to 0.25m in diameter, surviving only to one course. This is interpreted as a footing or low wall demarcating the extent of the outer bank.

The ditch was cut into the bedrock, with the upcast material being incorporated into the banks. The ditch fill was very stony, formed mostly of what appeared to be bank material that had slipped into the ditch. Despite the previous excavators having commented on how wet the ditch fill was, in this area the fill was well drained and appeared sterile; indeed, the soil samples collected did not yield any organic material suitable for dating.

Work was undertaken as part of Whiteadder: Historic Heart of the Lammermuirs, a community arts and archaeology project led by Scottish Borders Council in partnership with East Lothian Council, and delivered by AOC Archaeology Group and CMC Associates.

Archive:NRHE

Funder: Fallago Environment Fund and the Scottish Borders LEADER programme