Archaeology Notes

Event ID 775792

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/775792

NT27SE 555 2557 7354

A watching brief was carried out during the excavations of 23 test pits and trenches along the length of the medieval High Street from Lawnmarket to the Netherbow Port. In most of the pits natural boulder clay or bedrock was encountered immediately below the modern road and pavement. A number of stone-built cellars were recorded.

M Collard 1993.

NT 2557 7354 to NT 2613 7366 A watching brief during the relaying of the entire length of the main medieval street confirmed the observations made during test-pitting (Collard 1993) ie that the whole length of the High Street had been scalped of any accumulated deposits or structures, most likely during remodelling of road levels for the construction of North and South Bridges in the late 18th century.

Excavation close to John Knox House showed that the rebuilt forestair stood on its original foundations; the full extent of the foundations of the front of the Moray-Knox church were exposed in front of the Netherbow Centre.

Sponsor: City of Edinburgh District Council Archaeology Service.

M A Collard and D Reed 1995.