Watching Brief

Date December 2005

Event ID 550304

Category Recording

Type Watching Brief

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/550304

NT 0022 7735 A watching brief was undertaken in December 2005 during the removal of cobblestones in the pend within the old E entrance. Two small trenches were excavated to investigate possible early floor survivals or any other visible features.

The pend has seen several recent phases of repairs, with a drain being inserted along the N side of the structure and the eastern 5m of corridor floor having been concreted over. The existing loose cobbles, however, appeared to be of some antiquity.

These works revealed the top of the pit prison running under the E end of the pend and coming to within 250mm of the present cobbled surface. The loose deposits banked against the S side of the vault were levelling-up deposits, put in place to provide a level on which to lay the cobbles. A compacted layer of coal dust was thought to be an occupation surface created at a time when the vault was part exposed.

G Ewart 2005

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

Kirkdale Archaeology