Archaeology Notes
Event ID 855992
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Archaeology Notes
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/855992
ND35SE 15 3783 5493.
Castle Girnigoe, the earlier and better preserved of two castles (see also ND35SE 48) occupying a narrow, rocky peninsula, 400ft long and 40ft to 60ft high, which has been crossed at its neck by a partly rock-cut trench about 10ft wide and 14ft deep. About a third of the way along the peninsula is another rock-cut trench, 14ft in width and depth. Castle Girnigoe stands on the inner side, its outer ward comprising the area between the two trenches. This was defended by a gatehouse with a draw-bridge across the outer trench and a curtain wall to the south. The northern side was naturally defended by the cliffs.
The castle, late 15th century in date, belonged to the Sinclair Earls of Caithness and was originally L-plan, the main block running N-S and rising to a height of five storeys, with the stair tower forming the second element. To this an E-W wing was added on the N, forming an E-plan. Lesser buildings occupied the area E of the main structure. The castle was defended against assault from the sea by a strong wall built across the geo to the S.
D MacGibbon and T Ross 1887-92; RCAHMS 1911; N Tranter 1962-70.
The keep of Castle Girnigoe still stands 14 to 17m high, the walls being 1.2 to 1.7m thick. The range of buildings to the NE is now a turfed-over foundation, 1.5m in maximum height. The outer ditch appears to have been a natural gully utilised as a defence.
Visited by OS 21 April 1963.
ND35SE 15 ND 378 549
Excavation ND 378 549 A conservation plan and metric survey were completed in November 2003, and an archaeological evaluation of the outer bailey and W barbican was undertaken during 2003 and 2004. Three phases of investigation were carried out during 2005. Work focused on the W gatehouse, W range and courtyard of the outer bailey, and involved the excavation and recording of substantial rubble layers, to the level of occupation deposits.
Evidence was encountered for the structural layout of this part of the castle and significant architectural details were discovered.
The passage through the W gatehouse was excavated, involving the removal of layers of sterile rubble to a variable occupation deposit. A low wall was exposed, running along the SE edge of the passage, potentially associated with a drawbridge mechanism. A small recess in the wall adjacent to the portcullis slot is tentatively suggested to have housed a bell.
Further layers of rubble were excavated to reveal the layout of the building immediately N of the W gatehouse, previously identified as the porter's lodge. The investigations demonstrated that the porter's lodge was confined to a small room (c 5 x 2m) immediately adjacent to the gatehouse, accessed via a passage; a hearth, window and gun port were revealed. The rest of the building was dominated by one large room, accessed from the courtyard. Two large windows, one flanked by stone seats, were encountered, looking out to the courtyard and moat respectively. Sockets suggested the presence of timber panelling, and the exposed occupation deposits were seen to contain pottery and metalwork. Outside this building, in the courtyard, the window had been oversailed by a staircase, which would have led to an upper storey. Architectural stone recovered from the rubble deposits represents a collapsed oriel window.
A featureless mound to the N of this building proved to be a small irregular building, which appears to have been a later addition to the range. A small salt cupboard and remains of a window overlooking the moat were revealed.
Work undertaken in the N range added to previous phases of investigation, elucidating access to and between the three ground floor rooms. A large piece of articulated masonry was exposed within the courtyard, which appears to have formed part of the upper storey of these buildings; heat discolouration suggests the location of a hearth. Against the N and W ranges, sets of stairs were identified, leading to a first storey landing, beneath which a cupboard was identified. The discovery of timber post-holes associated with these stairs indicates the possibility of a timber gallery, running around the N and W ranges of the courtyard.
Report to be lodged with NMRS.
Sponsor: Clan Sinclair Trust.
N Toop and J Garner-Lahire 2005
ND 378 549 The 2006 season (March - August) at Castle Sinclair Girnigoe completed the archaeological excavation of the W Range and courtyard, carried out in two phases between March and August. A programme of public archaeology involved further excavation in the area of the W Barbican. Work continued in the W Range, and saw the complete excavation of rubble deposits from the room previously identified as the Porter's Lodge (DES 2005). The Outer Bailey courtyard was fully excavated, and the natural bedrock surface exposed. The slate bedrock naturally breaks down into gravel after continued exposure, which is likely to have provided the original ground surface. Work in the Courtyard provided new information on structural arrangements around the N and W Ranges. Evidence for pad stones provided further indication of the presence of timber posts, which would have supported a first floor gallery, accessed via a stone staircase which has now been fully exposed in the northern corner of the courtyard.
The excavation of a larger area over the W Barbican by volunteers exposed a sequence of stone-built features. A dry stone boundary wall of post-medieval date was encountered, running around the external edge of the dry moat. This overlay a stone slab pathway, which sloped into the dry moat itself; this feature has also been assigned a post-medieval date, and may have been installed by fishermen to provide access to the shore. This path had cut into a stone wall, running roughly N-S, which has been interpreted as structural evidence relating to the W Barbican. Associated occupation deposits abutting the wall were defined but not excavated.
Excavations at Castle Sinclair Girnigoe have produced a large quantity of architectural stone, primarily red sandstone detail from oriel windows, which has now been recorded.
Post-excavation work is ongoing, and a report is to be lodged with the NMRS.
Sponsor: Clan Sinclair Trust
Archaeology Specialists Ltd, 2006.
