Archaeological Evaluation
Date 7 July 2011 - 15 July 2011
Event ID 965103
Category Recording
Type Archaeological Evaluation
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/965103
NT 52060 36105 (centred on) An evaluation was carried out 7–15 July 2011 on a landfill site at Easter Langlee prior to development. Quarrying work was underway at the site in the 19th century, but began on a large scale in 1965. Prior to this the area was agricultural land and some pre-quarrying aerial photographs show ploughed fields across it. The abandoned quarry was subsequently used as a landfill site.
During topsoil stripping in June 1965, a stone built, apsidal-ended building was destroyed without archaeological monitoring. Examination of the stones used suggested that these were typical of Roman work (Newstead Fort lies nearby) or possibly post-Roman reuse of building materials. Contemporary excavation found evidence for later prehistoric metal working just to the SW of the quarry. Recent examination of the pre-1965 aerial photographic record revealed a number of features of possible archaeological origin. These are generally linear marks, both straight and curved, and although many of these were destroyed during the subsequent quarrying operations, they represent settlement on the site, arguably of different historic periods. An accurate picture of the full extent of the quarrying activity is not available from historic sources, and cannot be easily identified today. However, aerial photographs suggest there are two areas of potential survival. These areas lay to the N and E of the proposed new development. Trial trench sites were located in each area in order to characterise the suspected sites. The evaluation established that there was the potential for significant archaeological remains in the areas undisturbed by previous works, and that a watching brief should be carried out during future ground-breaking works.
Archive: RCAHMS (intended)
Funder: New Earth Solutions Group
Kirkdale Archaeology, 2011
OASIS Id: kirkdale1-171261
