Excavation

Date September 2011

Event ID 963450

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/963450

NT 32543 72705 In September 2011 a further investigation was carried out on the masonry remains exposed in 2001 and 2002 just below and to the W of the Shell House. The S half of the feature previously excavated was uncovered, revealing the water cascade flowing down to the edge of a large, shaped pool (now infilled). This trench was then extended to reveal a further level of the cascade and the relationship between the cascade, the pool and the underlying culvert. The project was attended by school classes, volunteers and drop-in groups as part of the launch of Archaeology Scotland’s Archaeology Month.

Water emerged from a brick-vaulted culvert and fell down three semi-circular stone cascades (now largely robbed) before falling into the pool itself. Each tier was lead-lined and bounded by ashlar flanking walls that stepped out at each level. The latter were capped with ‘rockwork’, consisting of fragments of industrial (possibly smelting) waste to match the facade of the Shell House behind. Several fragments of sponge, an artificial coral-form rockwork, were found loose within the feature, apparently part of its decoration.

Excavation to the E revealed the continuation of the brick culvert vault to the E of its mouth, and a layer of white quartz pebbles that covered the ground above. The culverted river was secondary to the partial infilling of the pool and suggests that the original clay lined pool was river fed in addition to the cascade water. The entire pool was then infilled and trees planted. A small trench excavated further to the W across the pool edge exposed an orange blaize path leading to the nearby stone bench.

It seems likely that a structure stood in the location of the current Shell House (1770s), which may have related to the laying out of the water gardens in the 1740s. The current structure is slightly off-centre to the cascade, with the rockwork as a secondary intervention to parallel the Shell House decoration.

The feature had been fully infilled by the early 1790s, but evidence (plaster, mortar and stonework) seems to point to initial dumping of debris into the pool. This activity may relate to the 1770s phase of the Shell House construction. The cascade is similar to many water garden features found in association with grotto structures around the country.

Archive: Connolly Heritage Consultancy and the National Trust for Scotland

Funder: The National Trust for Scotland, Archaeology Scotland and BBC

Connolly Heritage Consultancy 2011