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Archaeology Notes

Event ID 737500

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/737500

NX97NE 148 971 759

Two trenches were excavated and a large amount of medieval sherds were recovered. The sherds were mainly local ware and dated from the 14th and 15th centuries.

Four chert debitage flakes of probably mesolithic origin were also recovered.

Sponsor: SDD, HBM, SUAT.

R Cachart 1989b.

NX 971 759 An excavation was carried out by the Trust in December 1994 in advance of an office development on the site of the old British Legion building. This building, situated on the street frontage, was known to have been cellared, and so an area measuring 10m2 was located in open ground to the rear where archaeological remains were found during trial work (Cachart 1989).

The earliest evidence of human occupation on the site was in the form of 60 worked stone artefacts typologically representative of the Mesolithic period. These artefacts were recovered from a sandy silt deposit overlying a bank of fluvial sand and gravels on the northern side of the River Nith at c10.55m OD. One cut feature measuring 1.56m by 0.58m was found in association and may represent a windbreak or the remains of a drying rack. Three charcoal patches were also found, stratigraphically linked to the artefact bearing deposit. Samples will be sent for C14 dating. It is likely that these remains represent a seasonal camp or work site whereupon the resources of the River Nith could be utilised.

Partially truncating and sealing, the Mesolithic remains was a substantial deposit of medieval garden soil c0.6m in depth. It is clear that this deposit had been imported and pottery recovered from it indicates a date of deposition of between the 13th and 15th centuries. It is likely that this soil was first deposited as part of an extension of the backlands belonging to High Street properties, therefore pre-dating Irish Street.

Cut through the garden soil was a linear stone box drain leading back from Irish Street towards the River. It is possible that this drain is of early modern date. Truncating the drain was a circular, drystone-built well, 0.9m in diameter. Sealing the well was a garden soil, c0.4m in thickness, containing 19th century pottery.

Sponsors: Callander Land Developments, Historic Scotland.

J R Mackenzie 1995.

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