Watching Brief

Date 21 January 2014

Event ID 990574

Category Recording

Type Watching Brief

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/990574

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by AOC Archaeology Group on behalf of Cala Homes (East) prior to the redevelopment of a brownfield site at Burdiehouse Road, Edinburgh. The evaluation comprised the machine excavation of single trench positioned across the suspected line of the early 19th Century Crawley Tunnel. The trench measured c.0.80 m wide by c.3.2 m deep and extended for nearly 13.0 m. The trenching revealed a thin modern topsoil over c. 0.5 m to 1.0 m of redeposited clay over what appeared to be natural clay subsoil which at 3.0 m became in situ weathered bedrock. No trace of the Crawley Tunnel was encountered within the trench and beyond some disturbance within the upper 1.0 m of deposits there was no indication that it had been removed. It maybe that the tunnel lies outwith the area available for investigation which was limited by existing properties and trees. Alternatively the construction of the present residential properties on the site, built in the latter half of the 20th century may have removed all trace of the tunnel.

AOC Archaeology 2014 (L. Dunbar) OASIS ID: aocarcha1-170268