Excavation

Date 19 April 2022 - 15 May 2022

Event ID 1162412

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1162412

NH 18828 85432 Two targeted excavations were undertaken by members of the local community at Inverlael Township between 19–24 April 2022 and 10–15 May 2022. A previous community excavation took place on the site in 2021 (DES Volume 22, 108).

Although known through documentary sources, the site located at the S end of Loch Broom was, until 2021, entirely un-excavated. The excavations form part of a wider project, which has included a walkover survey and will include a post-excavation research design (PERD). The aim is to attain dating and occupation evidence for structures on the S and N side of the River Lael. The 2022 excavations comprised five trenches, each targeting different structures identified during the walkover survey.

Trench 1 comprised a slot across a building, thought to be the mill, and a mill lade. This trench contained the most important remains recovered from the site with a clear indication of the mill lade as well as evidence of a well-built structure. However, this structure was more than 8m from the lade with a very rough area of stones in between, and no sign of a wheelhouse. Several finds apparently dating to the late 17th or early 18th century were recovered including a coin from 1693. Lead shot recovered from this trench is particularly intriguing as at least five pieces were recovered from a small area close to a hearth, implying there may have been some small-scale manufacturing.

Trench 2 in contrast uncovered a kiln in a poor state of preservation that has been severely damaged since it went out of use. While its purpose was confirmed though its form and the position of the little in situ stonework found, the damage done by trees made the preservation of useful material unlikely. Excavation has also revealed a probably clean last firing. Its sheer size still makes this an important feature and considered in conjunction with the lade close by tells a convincing story of a thriving agricultural community in the area.

Trench 5, opened up over the largest structure in the area (c16 x 5.5m), was fairly sterile within – producing no floor layer and an inconclusive result on the possible doorway investigated in the SE wall. The structure was found to be of a sturdy construction with large stones forming well-made walls. It seems likely that any floor there may have been was removed as the building was abandoned as no nails from a wooden floor, flagstones or cobbles were noted, whilst the remaining surface was unusually uneven and sterile. Although the structure itself was fairly barren, the three contexts just outside of the walls to the NW contained a disproportionately large number of finds. In total over 164 items from 20 locations. The large pieces of ceramic – including what may be several parts of the same distinctive scalloped edged vessel – also imply this was relatively undisturbed. This together with the nature of the soil (dark) suggest this was an area of midden, perhaps at the edge of a kitchen garden or kale yard.

The structure encountered in Trench 6 was very different f rom the one in Trench 5. Primarily it was much smaller (c6 x 5m) and had suffered much more damage from trees. The fill within the structure was also much deeper and almost entirely free of stones and finds. The nature of the fill suggests that these were garden soils. The finds of two buttons (Find 99) could easily be accounted as an accidental loss from working the plot. Although not within the wooded area, the structure in Trench 7 was unfortunately

the least well preserved. Structure A9 was only about 4.6m2 and there had been speculation about it being a tollbooth given its position overlooking the bridge. While this could still be the case the structure was in such bad condition that little can actually be said about it. The walls could only be made out as areas slightly denser with stone, and although some edges did appear to be present these were fairly speculative. Inside, no floor layers were noted and the only find from the whole trench (9m²) was a single Neolithic thumb scraper.

A programme of post-excavation analysis has been proposed in order to learn more about the structures and the wider township. It is anticipated that some dating may be possible through finds analysis and potentially scientific dating, although this is inhibited by the inaccuracy of carbon dating for periods following the industrial revolution.

Archive: NRHE and Highland HER (intended) Funder: Historic Environment Scotland

Lynne McKeggie – Highland Archaeology Services

(Source: DES Volume 23)