Excavation

Date 11 November 2007 - 11 July 2008

Event ID 578303

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/578303

NT 3770 6830 – NT 3700 6770 – NT 3770 3810

Area 1: The Castle field – We have confirmation that the castle is likely to have been built by the Ruthven lords around the end of the 15th century. Later, they constructed a residence, which hosted the Confederate Lords, and perhaps even Mary Queen of Scots, in 1567. The walled garden was built much later in the early 18th century and in the process quarried away most of the castle, though the residence remained until at least 1760. There is definite proof of structures in the S field, though these may be connected with later quarry works. The residence, although demolished, does have surviving archaeology to the S, and could provide evidence of construction, use and layout.

Area 2: The Pottery field – Examination of the pottery and kiln furniture recovered in the fieldwalking, and

from the small evaluation trench confirm the presence of surviving archaeology. We are now sure that this is the pottery mentioned in the 1796 Edinburgh Advertiser as being for sale. This must also be the pottery that James Belfield arrived at in the mid 18th century from Staffordshire, before moving to Prestonpans where his son Charles set up the Belfield Pottery. This remarkable find is of great importance, as not only has geophysics shown the presence of kilns and possible waster pits, but the works themselves will be one of the earliest whiteware potteries in Scotland, marking the beginning of the industrial period. Careful examination of the

technologies used, as well as the pottery produced here, will be of immense value to the study of ceramics in Scotland.

Area 3: The Windmill Plantation – The windmill fits well alongside the Smiddy and the walled garden as a standing monument to the history of 18th-century Cousland and another of the Dalrymple improvements. However, the mound it sits on is unusual and was examined for the first time.

Nearby are known long cist burials and this could be the final clue to the location of an early Christian religious

establishment. Further geophysics, metal detecting and careful excavation could confirm this extremely important hypothesis.

The knowledge gained in this project has been of great importance, and the outcome has been most satisfactory. The option for extending the work to cover the period 1700 – 2000 and the pre-1100 occupation cannot be discounted. It is one that must be seriously considered, along with the continued examination and display of what has already been found.

Archive: RCAHMS

Funder: Cousland Local History Project

David Connolly (Connolly Heritage Consultancy), 2008