Watching Brief

Date May 2013 - August 2013

Event ID 994351

Category Recording

Type Watching Brief

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/994351

NF 1014 9936, NF 1006 9937 and NF 1029 9919 Three watching briefs were undertaken on Hirta, May–August 2013. Two during conservation works to post-medieval buildings within the scheduled ancient monument of Village Bay, and one during repairs to services within a modern MOD base.

The watching brief, undertaken during conservation repairs to the W wall of Blackhouse L, Village Bay, recorded an historic infill within the double-skinned walls of the blackhouse. The fill was sterile of finds but did contain evidence of peat ash and organic deposits, suggesting it may have been partially composed of midden material. Information from documentary sources indicated the blackhouse is 19th-century in date and the archaeological deposits are presumed to date to this period.

The watching brief undertaken during repairs to the SW corner of Blackhouse F revealed archaeological deposits consisting of a wall infill. An upper context of fill contained an assemblage of late 19th-/early 20th-century glass and ceramics. A lower fill context was sterile of finds but was composed of what appeared to be midden material. The lower context was interpreted as infill associated with the original construction of the blackhouse in the 1830s, whilst the upper was thought likely to represent a repair undertaken in the late 19th or early 20th century.

No finds or features of archaeological significance were recorded during excavations associated with the repair of a water pipe to the rear of the MOD base in Village Bay.

Archive: RCAHMS and Museum nan Eilean

Funder: The National Trust for Scotland with support from Historic Scotland

Kevin Grant, The National Trust for Scotland, 2013

(Source: DES)