Archaeology Notes

Event ID 666732

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/666732

NJ34SW 1 3260 4087

(NJ 3260 4087) Balvenie Castle (NR)

OS 6" map, 1959.

The ruined castle of Balvenie is of high architectural merit. It shows work of the 13th-16th centuries. Of exceptional interest is the wide flat-bottomed ditch which enclosed the castle on three sides.

For full description see MoW offical guide (J S Richardson and M E B Simpson)

J S Richardson and M E B Simpson 1961; Aberdeen Uni Studies 1926.

Balvenie Castle, is as described.

Revised at 1:2500.

Visited by OS (RL) 20 January 1967.

A watching brief and limited excavation accompanied alterations to the ground level of the castle's S range wherein were discovered a large kiln, thought to be associated with a brewing vat, and a possible disturbed cobbled floor.

At the W end of the range were several pits, all evidently pre-dating the adjacent, possibly 15th century buildings. One of the pits, which may have been clay-lined, contained many animal bones, charcoal, burnt clay and ash, but no artefacts.

Sponsor: HBM.

J Lewis 1990e.

The installation of a power supply into the castle's NE round tower was preceded by a watching brief during trenching along an existing cable track, parallel with the N curtain wall; and by the archaeological excavation of trenches into the tower and across its floor at ground level. Little of archaeological interest was uncovered within any of these trenches which were 0.30m wide and 0.30m to 0.50m deep. Work undertaken by Scotia Archaeology Ltd.

Sponsor: Historic Scotland.

R Murdoch 1993.

Air photographs: AAS/97/06/G12/11 and AAS/97/12/CT.

NMRS, MS/712/29.

The excavation archive generated by the 1990 and the 1993 archaeological investigations has been catalogued.

Historic Scotland Archive Project.