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Watching Brief
Date August 1998
Event ID 559540
Category Recording
Type Watching Brief
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/559540
NR 783 940. An archaeological watching brief was carried out at the Scheduled Ancient Monument of Crinan Harbour Pyroligneous Acid Works (c 1840-90) during August 1998. Planning permission had been granted for the construction of houses prior to Scheduling, and excavation of the first house plot to be developed was monitored in the field.
A metalled track shown on the earliest 1864 OS map running along the E side of the site to the acid works was uncovered and preserved in situ. Two stone and earth foundations of field banks originally planted with trees, one of which is shown on the earliest OS map, were also recorded.
A single drainage ditch was investigated at the northern edge of the excavation area, and traces of rig and furrow represented by two ditches separated by a bank was excavated at the eastern limit of the development site. These agricultural features are probably post-medieval and pre-date the establishment of the acid works.
The site had been ploughed and manured in the late 19th and early 20th century and no artefacts of earlier date were recovered. A buried ground surface represented by a 0.1m deep layer of peat was encountered 1.3m below the modern ground surface.
Sponsors: Historic Scotland, M and K MacLeod Ltd.
F Baker 1998.
