Ground Penetrating Radar

Date November 2019

Event ID 1127542

Category Recording

Type Ground Penetrating Radar

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1127542

NB 43345 59319 A geophysical survey was carried out over the modern graveyard surrounding Teampull nan Cro’ Naomh at South Galson, Isle of Lewis, in November 2019. Teampull nan Cro’ Naomh, is a possible 13th-century chapel and associated older graveyard which is visible in the field as a pronounced mound immediately to the N and W of the survey area (Canmore ID: 4346). The chapel is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and therefore the survey did not encroach on this Scheduled Area. Two ruins lie to the S of the chapel and mark the northern limit of the survey area in the W of the area. These are of unknown date (post-medieval – AD 1540 to 1900) and have the appearance of mausoleums. The site lies on machair adjacent to the coast.

A Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey, over an area of 0.4ha, was undertaken to provide a detailed plan of the cemetery grounds showing the location of past burials to assist with management of the cemetery. Data was collected with a 500MHz antenna at 0.02m intervals along parallel traverses 0.25m apart using ‘zig-zag’ data collection.

The GPR survey has successfully mapped numerous burials across the site. Anomalies indicative of burials have been identified which appear to correspond with headstones and grave markers. Additional responses clearly suggestive of burials have been identified which do not appear to correspond to any headstones and grave markers.

Throughout the survey area several areas of increased response have also been noted. These are anomalies which cannot be clearly identified as burials, and some may simply be due to natural variations in the subsoil. However, it is likely that the bands of high amplitude response in the W of the area may well be associated with burials. While some clearly defined burials have been noted within these bands of high amplitude response, the results are confusing, and several grave markers do not have a clearly associated burial response. Given that this is the oldest portion of the cemetery the complexity of the data is not surprising given the potential for a high density of burials.

Archive: Rose Geophysical Consultants

Funder: Galson Cemetery Committee

Susan Ovenden – Rose Geophysical Consultants

(Source: DES Volume 21)