Watching Brief

Date 12 December 2008 - 4 November 2009

Event ID 966087

Category Recording

Type Watching Brief

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/966087

NT 0021 7721 A watching brief was undertaken 12 December 2008–4 November 2009 during works related the refurbishment of the Burgh Halls and the construction of a new extension. The area of the extension, to the rear of the Burgh Halls, was considered sensitive as it is located within a scheduled ancient monument (SAM 90201). The Burgh Halls and the garden to the rear lie to the S of the graveyard of St Michael's parish church. A reference in the Linlithgow Burgh Survey (AD 1187) suggests that a school was accessed from the E side of the Kirkgate and was probably located close to the church. An almshouse, dating from before 1448 and surviving until the 17th century was also located on the E side of the Kirkgate to the S of the cemetery.

The groundworks exposed a number of deposits and features of archaeological significance. A 15th-century jeton was recovered from soil deposits containing wall foundations within the footprint of the Burgh Halls. In the garden to the rear of the Burgh Halls the remains of two basement rooms were recorded. One of the rooms had been backfilled with a deposit containing 15th-century pottery. Another wall foundation which predated the 16th 17th centuries was located to the front of the Burgh Halls. It is considered that these structural remains may relate to either the school or the almshouse.

Archive: RCAHMS (intended). Report: WoSAS

Funder: West Lothian Council

Headland Archaeology Ltd, 2009