Watching Brief

Date 6 January 2009 - 20 February 2009

Event ID 606786

Category Recording

Type Watching Brief

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/606786

NT 268 739 A watching brief was maintained, 6 January–20 February 2009, during excavations in advance of a new gas mains upgrade along a route running from the NW gate to the present boiler house. Most of the route followed the line of existing pipelines and involved no new ground-breaking. The cutting consisted of two sections. At its N end it ran for c20m E–W before turning S for a distance of c130m to meet the existing boiler house. The majority of the route exposed redeposited backfill in existing cuts, the only exceptions were at each end.

Immediately within the NW Gate, where the pipe entered the Palace grounds, the excavation exposed parts of the footings of the existing garden wall and evidence of a 19th-century hothouse which adjoined it. At the S end of the route, an area measuring 3 x 4m was excavated and was found to contain mortar and light rubble probably associated with the 17th-century N wing of the James V Tower. This was erected in 1676 as an extension to the planned Queen’s apartments, replacing an earlier gallery and was occupied by the Duke of Hamilton, as Keeper of the palace. It was demolished early in the 19th century.

Funder: Historic Scotland

Gordon Ewart – Kirkdale Archaeology

OASIS Id: kirkdale1-249692