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Excavation

Date 2007

Event ID 556662

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/556662

NX 774 579 A tenth season of excavation on private land was undertaken by experienced volunteer diggers and advanced students of the Stewartry Archaeological Trust, but due to the introduction of foot and mouth disease precautions the season had to be limited to only four weeks. Previous work has been reported in DES 1997, 24; 1998, 27/28; 1999, 23/24; 2000, 20; 2002, 29; 2003, 45; 2004, 45; 2005, 44. Excavation continued to expose the outer defence line of the timber tower built by the Lords of Galloway (AD 1100-1235), which was twice destroyed by fire. The defensive features were still apparent to the W side of the motte hill and a level of large flat stones used as paving between the tower and the timber defence line was apparent. This displayed evidence of intense heat. Almost 80% of the defensive encirclement has now been exposed and evidence of timber construction in the form of the identification of large numbers of fiddle key head nails has been observed and recorded.

Numerous sherds of local galena-glazed pottery of the period AD 1150-1300 have been recovered, interspersed with the occasional sherd of finer ware emanating from Gaul. This suggests that at one stage this was a high status site.

Over the defensive level a series of furnacing features have been excavated, pointing to the possibility that some form of smelting went on either between the two phases of the timber towers (c1174-85 and c1120-1235) or immediately after the final destruction by fire of the second tower.

A large furnace situated at a low level on the northern extremity of the motte hill was completely excavated and produced dating evidence for its operational life having been post-AD 1235, after the destruction by fire of the second timber tower. It must be presumed that it was used to salvage ironwork, etc, scavenged from the burned ruins of the motte hill defences.

Archive deposited with Dumfries and Galloway Council and deposited in the Stewartry Museum in Kirkcudbright.

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