Excavation

Date 28 July 2008 - 1 August 2008

Event ID 578315

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/578315

NT 2890 6515; NT 2891 6516; NT 2886 6542 As part of remedial works excavations were carried out on and near the road to the E and S of Mavisbank House on 28 July–01 August 2008. Two trenches were sited E of the house towards the top of a slope, S of a sharp bend to the W, in an area where a landslip had occurred during the previous winter. A third trench was opened at the bottom of the hill immediately W of the boundary wall in the S part of the nursery, in an area where surface water had been seen to accumulate.

The excavations revealed several different phases of roadway and water damage. It appears that the roadway

has been progressively raised and narrowed, with the W edge moving E. The woodland has gradually extended E over the track, and rather than cutting back the woodland the track has simply been pushed a little further E and narrowed. Clearly there has been a long-term problem with flooding. The construction of each new roadway surface has involved the laying of deposits of ash, or other porous material, into the area to the W of it and has raised the level of the road.

Archive: RCAHMS (intended)

Funder: Historic Scotland

Alan Radley (Kirkdale Archaeology), 2008