Beechwood

NH 6926 4525 - NH 6897 4488 An archaeological watching brief was conducted during topsoil stripping associated with the construction of Inshes sewer, Inverness. Two burnt mounds, one with an associated wooden trough, and seven other features were identified during this operation.

Burnt Mound 1 (NH 6919 4516) consisted of a semi-circular spread of burnt sandstone and charcoal. It partially surrounded a wooden trough located immediately to the E, and partially filled the eastern side of a palaeo-channel which comprised an irregular depression running NW-SE across the examined area. The trough was set within a rectangular cut and appeared to be largely complete, with only the northern portion of its base absent. The trough was constructed from five separate timbers, provisionally identified as alder. The base and lower sides were formed from a single hollowed-out log, with each of the upper side and end panels consisting of single unjointed planks, set on end. There was no evidence to suggest any jointing of the wood, or of additional structural components or any kind of formal lining. The trough contained four fills: the uppermost comprising redeposited burnt mound material over a deposit of well-preserved peat over a deposit of stones which occupied the majority of the trough base, representing the last heating episode of the trough's use. A basal primary deposit, comprising a charcoal-rich silt layer, was present where the stones were absent.

Burnt Mound 2 (NH 6910 4509) consisted of a flattened spread of burnt, heat-shattered and degraded stone, and measured 15m N-S by 5m E-W by 0.18m deep. No associated structural features or deposits were located.

The seven features comprised three pits and a sinuous feature, a modern linear spread of stones, a linear ditched feature and a spread of burnt subsoil. Two of the pits contained prehistoric pottery.

Data Structure Report lodged with Highland SMR.

Sponsor: North of Scotland Water Authority via Mott MacDonald.

R Strachan and M Cressey 1999

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken prior to a mixed use development at East Beechwood Farm, Inverness. An initial evaluation was carried out on an associated part of the development to the north in 2009.

The evaluation indicated that significant archaeological features exist within parts of the development area. As with the 2009 evaluation, clusters of post-hole features and ditches are suggestive of Bronze Age / Iron Age later prehistoric settlement comprising linear / curvilinear ditches (enclosures or field boundaries) and timber post-built structures.

A number of the features may be contemporary with the burnt mound NH64NE 625. Elsewhere lay a possible small square barrow and potentially Pictish Pitcarmick-type features.

Information from AOC Archaeology Group