Accessibility

Font Size

100% 150% 200%

Background Colour

Default Contrast
Close Reset

Archaeology Notes

Event ID 828192

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/828192

NJ52NW 4.00 54086 29789

NJ52NW 4.01 NJ 54013 29923 Walled Garden

NJ52NW 4.02 NJ 54043 29980 Offices

NJ52NW 4.03 NJ 53677 29894 West Lodge

NJ52NW 4.04 NJ 54758 29057 East Lodge

NJ52NW 4.05 NJ 5435 2938 East Drive, Railway Bridge

NJ52NW 4.06 NJ 5422 2954 Ice House

NJ52NW 4.07 NJ 53998 29744 Shed containing fragments and stones

NJ52NW 4.08 Centred c. NJ 53708 29940 Old Enclosed Garden

For Home Farm (NJ 5460 3011), see NJ53SW 24.

For East Mains (NJ 5528 2970), see NJ52NE 102.

For rig within the area of the policies (at NJ 5459 2933), see NJ52NW 139. For quarry at NJ 5391 3000 and former cottage at NJ 5360 3002, see NJ53SW 82 and NJ53SW 83 respectively. For quarry at NJ 5506 2918, see NJ52NE 166.

For Kennethmont township (centred NJ 5370 2990), see NJ52NW 216.

For pre-improvement village (centred NJ 5500 2900) within Leithhall policies, see NJ52NE 199.

(NJ 5418 2979) Leith Hall (NR) AD 1650.

OS 6" map, (1959)

Leith Hall, generally as described.

Visited by OS (RL) 19 September 1967.

A watching brief was maintained during the laying of pipes to install an oil-fired central heating system. No archaeological deposits were evident. Observations made are in Grampian Regional Council SMR.

Sponsor: Grampian Regional Council.

M K Greig 1989.

(Additional bibliography, newspaper references and GRC/AAS photographic cover listed).

NMRS, MS/712/52.

NJ 5407 2979 A programme of building recording was undertaken between November 2001 and February 2002 during an extensive rewiring exercise when numerous sub-floor structures were exposed. The exercise permitted a reconsideration of the evolution of this quadrangular structure. Many details of the earliest surviving parts of the house were revealed within the N range of c 1650. It was discovered that the majority of original common joist floor structures survive within the rooms on either side of the central stairwell. No evidence for painted ceilings was seen within the range, interiors perhaps having been lined out and plastered at a relatively early period. However, some of the interior walls had been plastered on the hard and had apparently been painted, and the wooden ceiling structures themselves displayed some soot-blackening suggesting that they had been exposed for some duration before being lined out. The stair had seen considerable modification at each landing level. The fragmentary remains of what appears to be a mid-17th-century wine bottle were observed, pressed into contemporary plaster lining the walls of the uppermost chamber at the head of the stairwell - possibly the evidence for a 'topping-out' ceremony at the completion of the phase 1 tower.

Floor structures were revealed at first-floor level throughout the E and S wings. Differences in their construction demonstrated that the suite of well-appointed rooms in the E range were the earlier (late 18th century), followed by the re-casting of the existing S range with a further, complementary, suite of rooms (c 1800). The latter work necessitated the creation of a linking corridor along the E side of the inner courtyard that connected the S, E and N ranges. In the latter area, the eastern first-floor room in the phase 1 tower was sub-divided to permit direct connection through to its stairwell.

Archive to be deposited in the NMRS.

Sponsor: NTS.

T Addyman 2002

NJ 541 297 To improve the drainage on the E side of the roadway N from the Hall to the 18th-century stable block, four trenches were machine-excavated in March 2002. In three of the trenches it was evident that poor drainage had been a recurring problem, as each trench had several 19th- and 20th-century field drains either cutting across them or running along their length for several metres. A trench across the roadway showed its construction to be a single, hard, clay-bonded stone and pebble metalled surface with no evidence of earlier phases.

Archive to be deposited in the NMRS.

Sponsor: NTS

J C Murray 2002

NJ 541 297 A watching brief was carried out in October 2003 during excavations to install a new filtration system to the water supply to the Hall. The discovery of drainage inspection hatches and amorphous blocks of concrete in the trench showed the ground on this N side of the earliest wing of the Hall to be heavily disturbed. No archaeological features or finds were evident.

Archive to be deposited in the NMRS.

Sponsor: NTS.

J C Murray 2003

People and Organisations

References