Castle of Elgin Geophysical Survey

Date 5 April 2012 - 7 April 2012

Event ID 993056

Category Project

Type Project

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/993056

NJ 2118 6281 A geophysical survey was undertaken 5–7 April 2012 prior to the construction of a public footpath. The work was considered sensitive as it was in the vicinity of the Castle of Elgin, which became a royal fortress in the 12th century and is thought to have been a ruin since the 15th century, and has few surviving extant features.

The data from the gradiometer and resistance surveys was interpreted with caution as modern activity, including the construction of the Duke of Gordon Monument and an observatory, quarrying for building material and the suspected burial of rubbish, is known to have taken place. This activity was reflected in the gradiometer results which show a high level of background noise. The resistance survey detected a complex of rectilinear high resistance anomalies suggestive of a potential structure with enclosing walls and associated structures. A possible enclosing ditch may have been identified in the data. While the location and alignment of these responses is not consistent with the expected location of the castle, they may indicate possible ancillary structures within a bailey. However, given the past use of the site a modern origin cannot be dismissed.

Archive: Rose Geophysical Consultants

Funder: Ashley Bartlam Partnership

Susan Ovenden, Rose Geophysical Consultants

2012