Archaeological Evaluation

Date 5 July 2021 - 16 July 2021

Event ID 1145369

Category Recording

Type Archaeological Evaluation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1145369

HY 37407 30184 The site was partly excavated in the 1920s by

J. Storer Clouston and later reported in the Inventory of Orkney (RCAHMS 1946). The date and phasing of the site is still open to debate. Two small targeted evaluation trenches, determined by previous geophysical survey (DES Volume 21, 96) were opened over Clouston’s previous excavations exposing substantial walls in the eastern hall. The walling was found to correspond directly to that planned by Clouston. Previously undisturbed levelling layers within the building were excavated. These contained little cultural material and comprised redeposited glacial till from which bulk samples were obtained. Finely moulded fragments of red sandstone, some stylistically dated to the 13th century, exposed in the rubble backfill of Clouston’s previous excavation are likely to have come from a former medieval church adjacent to The Wirk. Excavations confirmed Clouston’s plan to be accurate. Environmental samples will be processed for datable material.

Archive: UHI Archaeology Institute; NRHE (intended)

Funder: Castle Studies Trust

S J Gibbon and D Lee – Orkney Research Centre for Archaeology (ORCA), UHI Archaeology Institute

(Source: DES Vol 22; OASIS ID: orkneyre1-519618)