Watching Brief

Date 29 September 2011

Event ID 933769

Category Recording

Type Watching Brief

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/933769

NO 1288 0458 A watching brief was maintained on 29 September 2011 during the excavation of a single trench for the footings of a new interpretation board. The excavation revealed ‘fill’ deposits over earlier ground surfaces. As the threshold of the main gateway is at the current ground level, this means that there may have been sloping ground (a ditch) within 5m of the main façade of the late 16th-century castle. The presence of the ‘fill’ deposits suggests that the ditch was more prominent in the relatively recent past, i.e. until the ground was levelled, perhaps during the late 19th century/early 20th century. This landscaping activity may be contemporary with the development of the neighbouring 19th-century steading. The reduced castle sits in conjunction with a series of carefully planned buildings, the cottages and outbuildings located on either side of the present A911 road. The ditch appears to have followed a wide and curving alignment, which cuts across the S end of the castle façade, suggesting it relates to an earlier period of fortification (mid-16th century or earlier).

Archive: RCAHMS (intended)

Funder: Historic Scotland

Kirkdale Archaeology, 2011

Information also reported in Oasis (kirkdale1-122351) 10 April 2012