Excavation

Date 8 March 2021 - 30 August 2021

Event ID 1146023

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1146023

NT 70004 40836 – NT 70469 41392 A three year project led by the Hume Castle Preservation Trust, and working with local volunteer groups and organisations, is being carried out to investigate the remains of Hume Castle; the medieval village of Hume; the former parish Church of St Nicholas; and the surrounding landscape. The aim to gain a better understanding of the history of the sites. Over the course of the three years a series of workshops and field seasons will be conducted to investigate their historical background; complete a walkover survey of the study area; conduct a geophysical survey and graveyard survey at the former parish church; conduct an historic building record of the castle; and carry out excavations at key sites identified during the survey work.

The 2020 summer field season was delayed due to the

Covid-19 pandemic, with the archaeological excavation carried out in Spring 2021 over the course of 3 weeks, and the graveyard re-assessment conducted over three days.

NT 70469 41392 Hume Castle (Canmore ID: 367583) Two trenches were excavated to investigate two structures within the settlement, one test-pit was excavated to investigate the potential eastern defences of the medieval castle, and two test- pits were excavated to investigate the deposits and geology to the W of the castle. Trench 1 (4 x 4 m) was located to investigate structural remains identified during previous survey work (Building 41), with a drone survey indicating a rectangular building on an approximately E–W orientation. It is located to the SW of the castle, on the northern side of a possible access route up to the castle. Whilst the trench was excavated to target an internal division, and the southern wall of the building, the uncovered remains indicated a more complex floor plan to the building. Rather than an internal division running N–S through a rectangular building, excavations in Trench 1 revealed an outer (southern) wall to the structure that possibly terminated towards the western end of the trench. Whilst erosion may have eroded the wall, it is also possible that the lack of wall remains indicates an entranceway into the building. The southern face of the wall was not revealed. The uncovered remains suggest a significant composite wall, surviving to a width of greater than 1m, with a stone (internal) face and a rubble and clay infill. To the N (interior) of this wall, a significant amount of stone collapse was identified, along with two further stone built walls, with the remains of a possible N/S wall protruding from the eastern section of the trench, and the corner of a further building, or room, indicated by an ‘L’ shaped composite stone and clay wall identified in the NW corner of the trench. The artefacts retrieved during excavations in Trench 1 indicate that the building was still in use, or at least activity was still occurring here into the 18th or 19th centuries. It is possible, therefore, that if the complex of buildings here were in use prior to the destruction of the castle, that these buildings were subsequently repurposed, or indeed reconstructed, on top of earlier structures, and continued to be used many years after the destruction of the castle.

Trench 2 (4 x 4 m) was located to investigate structural remains of a potential platform house with associated enclosure, located to the N of the NE corner of the castle. The uncovered remains largely correspond to the postulated remains identified in previous survey work. The structural remains uncovered suggest a possible wall that would correspond to the southern wall of the identified building, with three walls or partial walls representing a potential enclosure appended to the S side of this building. The nature of the artefacts suggest that this building was likely a domestic structure, with large amounts of glazed ceramic and bottle glass uncovered, also indicating that the building was in use, or there was at least activity in this part of the site, until sometime in the 19th century. Due to the proximity of this excavated area to the road and the modern village of Hume however, it cannot be discounted that some of the artefacts may be rubbish deposits, thrown over the boundary wall located just to the N. The discovery of a jetton on top of wall remains also points to earlier activity within the area, but this find alone cannot suggest that the building itself was in use during the late medieval period. At the SW corner of the trench the discovery of a series of large stones and boulders suggest the possibility of a significant wall to the S of the identified building and possible enclosure, possibly a retaining wall. Test-pit 1 was located to investigate the deposits and geology to the W of the castle, and S of the entrance gate from the castle car park. The test-pit was located on the route of a modern vehicle access track and measured 1 x 1m. Excavations in Test-pit 1 did not uncover any significant archaeological remains. The test-pit revealed bedrock outcropping only 300mm below ground surface at this part of the site, also indicating stone tumble from upslope to the E likely associated with erosion, however it cannot be ruled out that the tumbled stones may have been associated with the destruction of the castle and associated features.

Test-pit 2 was located to investigate the deposits and geology to the SW of the castle, and was located to the SW of Test-pit 1, at the western end of a possible entrance route up to the castle. The test-pit measured 1 x 1m. The topography and bedrock outcropping, creating a natural holloway at the location of Test- pit 2 suggested the possibility of a track way leading up to the SW of the castle. This was confirmed with excavation following the discovery of a metalled surface. Whilst only a small portion of the surface was uncovered in the Test-pit, it is likely that the track continues up the holloway and passes adjacent to the S of the structural remains in Trench 1, whilst also passing by a second building directly opposite to the S of the remains uncovered in Trench 1.

Test-pit 3 was located to investigate the deposits and character

of a potential defensive rampart located to the E of the castle. The test-pit measured 3 x 1m and was orientated approximately NE/SW across the potential rampart in order to characterise its construction and depth. Excavations in Test-pit 3 revealed a large number of stones that have likely tumbled down the natural slope from the W. The remains of a possible wall were recorded as running across the test-pit from the NW to SE that may correlate with the remains of a bank identified during the previous drone survey. The nature and topography of the exposed bedrock however, indicate that these stones likely came to naturally rest in a deeper area of subsoil than those further upslope, potentially acting as a natural barrier to proceeding tumble, rather than having been formally built as a wall or boundary. The remains uncovered in Test-pit 3 do not seem to indicate any evidence of castle defences, or associated boundaries, and are likely a reflection of the natural topography in this part of the site, however the amount of tumbled stone located in this area suggest that the stone deposits may relate to the destruction phase of the castle.

NT 70004 40836 Hume Old Parish Kirkyard (Canmore ID:

367583) The graveyard condition survey of the visible memorials was undertaken in the late summer of 2021, and assessed whether changes to the graveyard had occurred since the initial survey in 2018 and 2019. A graveyard condition report will follow to determine the nature and extent of the changes that have taken place at the graveyard.

Archive: NRHE

Funder: Heritage Lottery Fund and the Fallago Environment Fund

Ian Hill, Michelle Gamble and Samira Hill – Heritage and Archaeological Research Practice (HARP)

(Source: DES Vol 22)