Watching Brief

Date 1 November 2007 - 5 March 2008

Event ID 991151

Category Recording

Type Watching Brief

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/991151

An investigation into the impact of polytunnels on cropmark monuments. The study area contained a souterrain (NO22SW 12). Aims- to establish present position of all ground-breaking elements of the polytunnel prior to demolition and removal from the site of the souterrain; to recover evidence for the nature and extent of changes to the condition of the site caused by the imposition and removal of the polytunnel; and to investigate the present condition of the souterrain. Aerial photo rectification, survey and test-pitting prior to dismantling; Evaluation trenching following removal of the polytunnels Survey established the positions of groundbreaking elements of the polytunnels prior to removal: the support posts and the irrigation pipes were recorded. Test-piting while the superstructure was still in place established the depths of excavation for the various elements associated with polytunnel construction and the methods by which they had been fixed in the ground. Two trial trenches totalling 54m2 were excavated by machine across the known location of the souterrain and were designed to intersect with the former location of ground breaking elements of the polytunnel structures. The souterrain was lined with stone and measured 1.2m-2.6m wide by up to 1.7m deep. Polytunnel support posts were found to have impacted upon the souterrain to a depth of between 0.2m-0.3m, one of which cut through the upper part of the souterrain wall. An irrigation pipe trench was also found to have cut across the upper fill and wall of the souterrain and across the associated feature.

CFA rchaeology (I. Suddaby and P. Richardson) OASIS ID: cfaarcha1-43752