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Edinburgh, 144 Cowgate

Nursery School (Period Unassigned)

Site Name Edinburgh, 144 Cowgate

Classification Nursery School (Period Unassigned)

Alternative Name(s) Borthwick's Close; Cowgate Nursery School

Canmore ID 120903

Site Number NT27SE 1709

NGR NT 25856 73492

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/120903

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
Canmore Disclaimer. © Bluesky International Limited 2025. Public Sector Viewing Terms

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Digital Images

The step at the front of the building partially dismantled to allow access for machine.
The step at the front of the building partially dismantled to allow access for machine.3.5m deep sondage at N end of trenchWest end, showing walls 1501 & 1506 and culvert 1503General view of trenchWall 1506Post-ex shot of drain [020]Pre-ex shot of paving (030), clay (031) and wall [016]Slabs (039) exposed after removal of S end of wall [016]Wooden beam within (041), close upWooden beam within (041), fully exposedShot showing position of E-W running stake holes within buildingStake holes [073] in N-S row without markerView of walls [043] and [023] with deposit (054) shownView of walls [043] and [023] with deposit (054) shownEast elevation of wall [047], N endN facing elevation of wall [066], east endN facing elevation of wall [066], west endW facing elevation of wall [022], N endS facing elevation of blocking [046], wall [048] and E end of wall [044]S facing elevation of blocking [046], and walls [024], [048] and [044]Slabs below (069)iew of deposit (094) running underneath later wallW facing elevation of wall [022], S endSection across walls [103] and [066]Wall [024] fully exposedPre-ex photo of stones (149), part 1Black organic deposit (146)Spread of sandstone chips (153)Doorway with wooden threshold and frame between walls [044] and [048]Area B with pit [173] and deposits (174), (175), (176) & (177)Line of uprights [180] inside wall [066]Drain [124] along W side of wall [022]Test pit 6Post-ex shot of drain [181] running under wall [024]S facing elevation of wall [044], E endE facing elevation of wall [139], south of #242Rubble (225) over wall [210]SW facing section of test pit 10Wall [210], east of # 275Wall [210], east of # 286S facing section of HPit 1, crane base. W endS facing section of HPit 1, crane base. E endS facing section of HPit 4S facing section of HPit 5, W end. With reference nailsN facing section of HPit 7Well lining exposed at N side of siteS facing section of Hpit 9, south of wall [210]S facing section of Hpit 9, north of wall [210]HPit 1, crane base on first visit seen towards SWHPit 1, crane base on first visit. N sideOverall view of trenchS facing section at centre of trenchPre-ex shot of mixed black deposit (021)View of wall [024]/[044]/[045]/[048]/[046] and abutting wall [047]East elevation of wall [047], S endPre-ex shot of collection stake holes and wooden posts [073] with markersPre-ex shot of collection stake holes and wooden posts [073] without markersView of S end of fence [087]W facing elevation of wall [022], middle sectionPre-ex shot of deposit (098)View of E half of building at formation levelView of E half of building at formation levelS end of wall [022] abutted by wall [066]S end of wall [022] after removal of filled in rubbleStones (148) in SW corner of buildingWorking shot (in the rain)Deposit (160) pre-excavationCut [168] for barrel [162]Drains [199] and [200]Detail of drain [199]Drain [200] feeding into drain [199]Drain [200]E facing elevation of wall [139], south of #241Rubble/ cobbled surface (203)Section above walls [103] and [066] at the SW corner of the siteShot showing wall [103] built next to and over wall [066]Stones at base of test pit 10Wall [210], east of # 278Wall [210], east of # 288S facing section of HPit 1, crane base. E of # 300W facing section of HPit 1, crane base. Middle sectionE facing section of HPit 1, crane base. S endDetail showing turf (241) under cobbles (240)W facing section of HPit 1, crane base.N facing section of HPit 3NE corner of Hpit 3NW corner of Hpit 3Wall face in S facing section of HPit 5, E of #337. With reference nailsWall [281] in HPit 6Wall [281] in HPit 6 during cleaningE facing section of HPit 7 showing cut [297] for wall [103]N side of wall [210] exposed in Hpit 9S side of wall [210] exposed in Hpit 9W end of wall [281] exposed in pit for manholeN facing section along Cowgate pavement in Hpit 13, W of #376N facing section along Cowgate pavement in Hpit 13, W endHPit 1, crane base on first visit. N halfThe front of the nursery buildingCobbles 002 and slabs 001 at the W end TR1S end of trench

First 100 images shown. See the Collections panel (below) for a link to all digital images.

Administrative Areas

  • Council Edinburgh, City Of
  • Parish Edinburgh (Edinburgh, City Of)
  • Former Region Lothian
  • Former District City Of Edinburgh
  • Former County Midlothian

Activities

Archaeological Evaluation (10 October 2002 - 28 January 2003)

An archaeological evaluation involving the excavation of five trenches was carried out on the site of the former Cowgate Nursery School, Edinburgh. The evaluation demonstrated that significant archaeological deposits survived beneath the proposed development site. The earliest were characterised as medieval midden deposits and were identified in all trenches at a minimum of 1 m below present ground surface. It is clear from a previous borehole survey that these deposits are up to three metres thick in the east of the site. Stone walls, surfaces and culverts were constructed on top of these midden deposits at a minimum depth of only 0.35m below the surface left following demolition of the former nursery. These were likely to have related to buildings constructed on either side of narrow closes, and depicted on maps from the 16th century on. An assemblage of mainly post-medieval artefacts were recovered from the site, although some earlier medieval material was also present.

Information from Headland Archaeology Ltd.

Excavation (March 2004 - December 2004)

An archaeological excavation followed by a watching brief was carried out at 144-166 Cowgate, Edinburgh prior to the construction of sheltered housing on the site. the site is located on the north side of Cowgate and extends from the east side of Fishmarket Close to the current premises of the Siglo nightclub to the east.

The main result of the excavation was the discovery of a clay bonded stone building at the west end of the site believed to be one of the first buildings of medieval date in this part of the Cowgate. Map evidence and pottery retrieved from the building suggests a 14th-15th century date for this building.

The south side of the building was at one stage demolished to make room for a wall that ran parellel with the present line of Cowgate. The wall was 0.8m wide and over 30 m long in total with no other transverse walls abutting or keyed into it suggesting that it was a boundary wall. A section across the full depth of the wall exposed during the watching brief suggested that the wall was built on the north side of a ditch running parallel with the wall.

A second wall was uncovered during the watching brief on the same alignment east of the first wall. This wall was 1.8m wide and at least 8.5m long. Its dimensions, location and alignment strongly suggests that this is a defensive wall most probably the King's Wall commissioned in 1427.

Both walls predate the main development at the Cowgate frontage, which indicates a 15th, or an early 16th century date at the latest. If the walls were part of the King's wall, they would have become obsolete by the construction of the Flodden Wall in 1513. By this time the two walls would have been partly robbed out and probably used in the construction of the early buildings along the Cowgate frontage.

Information from Headland Archaeology Ltd

References

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