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Archaeological Evaluation

Date March 2008 - October 2008

Event ID 578138

Category Recording

Type Archaeological Evaluation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/578138

NG 8812 2583 Two phases of investigation were undertaken in 2008. During March, a geophysical and topographical survey was carried out of all accessible parts of the island. The topographical survey provided a detailed and accurate contour plan of the island, and accurately located visible earthworks and exposed stonework. The geophysical survey defined the possible line of the curtain wall, and allowed the design of an evaluation programme.

The evaluation took place, September–October 2008, and consisted clearance of vegetation from the earthwork representing the NW tower and excavation of five trenches. The removal of vegetation exposed the complete outline of the tower. The removal of rubble from half of the interior exposed the lower courses of the elevations and the unshaped bedrock surface inside it (Intervention 3).

Intervention 4 consisted of an 11 x 2m trench immediately S of the tower. This exposed the external elevation and part of the abutting curtain wall. Previous ‘wall-chasing’ had removed the stratigraphic relationship between the deposits and the tower; however, well preserved medieval remains survive in situ, including occupation layers and a metalworking horizon. Finds included a small annular brooch, slag and a quantity of nails.

In the NE part of the island, intervention 5 encountered a mortar-rich dump, likely to relate to 20th-century

reconstruction overlying a 4m wide length of curtain wall. Intervention 6 encountered a poorly preserved wall that appeared to represent the remains of a tower, which had been backfilled with large boulders. Intervention 7 was to the S of the island, and recorded a well preserved, well built length of curtain wall, measuring 5m wide and over 1.3m high. This would have been situated at the high tide mark on the island.

Archive: Post-excavation work is ongoing, and a report will be deposited with RCAHMS

Funder: Conchra Charitable Trust

Field Archaeology Specialists Ltd, 2008

People and Organisations

References