Archaeology Notes

Event ID 696920

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/696920

NO 518 012 The ruins of Newark Castle (NO50SW 17) are situated on a narrow, cliff-edged promontory on the S coast of Fife. Resistivity survey was carried out over two areas in February 2001. On the promontory, survey of the court to the W of the upstanding remains of the castle revealed the remains of a wall which runs roughly E-W, plus several patches of putative buried rubble. Two linear low resistance anomalies lead from the castle to a cleft in the cliff to the W of the castle. The cleft has been bridged by a semi-circular arch, and it seems likely that the linear anomalies reflect the presence of buried drainage features. Survey of an area to the N of the castle and the promontory revealed two clear, roughly rectangular, high resistance anomalies, perhaps the response from buried buildings. Inspection of the cliff edge to the S of this survey area revealed the collapsed remains of a barrel-vaulted ceiling extending N for an unknown distance, below the survey area.

Topographic survey was carried out to record the terracing on the E side of the castle. The terracing leads down to a sheltered shingle beach.

Full report deposited in the NMRS. (Note, however, that the owner has changed the name to St Monance Castle.)

Sponsor: Nola Crewe.

T Neighbour 2002.