Ground Penetrating Radar

Date 16 August 2021 - 17 August 2021

Event ID 1144095

Category Recording

Type Ground Penetrating Radar

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1144095

NT 30881 73804 A geophysical survey was carried out, on 16–17 August 2021, within the grounds of 16b Bellfield Street, Portobello, which is a former graveyard and grounds associated with the former Portobello Old and Windsor Place Parish Church. The survey is part of wider archaeological assessment prior to emplacement of e-bike stores and ancillary fixtures and fittings.

A Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey was undertaken to provide a detailed plan of the grounds indicating the location of past burials and drainage features.

The GPR survey (0.4ha) has successfully mapped several burials across the site, together with trends that appear to define the limits of grave cuts and remnants of grave markers.

Throughout the site, several areas of increased response have also been noted. These are anomalies that cannot be clearly identified as burials, and some may simply be due to natural variations in the subsoil.

The results of the survey suggest that the graveyard to the N of the church contains a higher density of burials compared to the area to the S of the church. One possible drain has been detected in the NE of the area, along with a probable service trench in the SE. Survey over the area of the proposed store and workshop along the western wall of the site was limited due to vegetation. However, no clearly defined responses indicative of burials were noted in this general area, with the survey results suggesting that the proposed building footprint lies beyond the core area of the

former graveyard.

The survey results from the area of the proposed bike rack, situated against the external eastern graveyard wall, did not detect any anomalies of significance.

Archive: Rose Geophysical Consultants Funder: Action Porty

Susan Ovenden – Rose Geophysical Consultants

(Source: DES Vol 22)