Charleston Farm
Cottage (Period Unassigned), Culvert(S) (Period Unassigned), Drain(S) (Period Unassigned), Dyke(S) (Period Unassigned), Pottery Scatter (Neolithic), Organic Material (Wood)(Mesolithic)
Site Name Charleston Farm
Classification Cottage (Period Unassigned), Culvert(S) (Period Unassigned), Drain(S) (Period Unassigned), Dyke(S) (Period Unassigned), Pottery Scatter (Neolithic), Organic Material (Wood)(Mesolithic)
Canmore ID 207764
Site Number NJ90SW 209
NGR NJ 9385 0027
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/207764
- Council Aberdeen, City Of
- Parish Nigg (City Of Aberdeen)
- Former Region Grampian
- Former District City Of Aberdeen
- Former County Kincardineshire
NJ90SW 209 9385 0027
Nothing is visible of this cottage, which stood in the corner of what is now an improved field about 320m E of Charleston Farm (NJ90SW 207). The cottage is depicted as roofed on both the 1st and 2nd editions of the OS 6-inch map (Aberdeenshire, 1869, sheet lxxxvi and Kincardineshire, 1904, sheet vii.SE respectively).
Visited by RCAHMS (JRS), 2 May 2002.
Excavation (8 November 2007 - 22 January 2008)
NJ 9385 0026 to NO 9352 9960 A 7% evaluation took place, 8 November 2007–22 January 2008, on a 70 acre industrial development site that straddled the Aberdeen/ Aberdeenshire boundary. Two areas were excavated in more detail. The site is a rare and interesting example of the archaeological evidence for the processes of improvement agriculture being matched by very detailed contemporary descriptions in estate records. Dykes, drains and culverts were recorded and areas of hand-dug trenching noted in the estate records were identified.
Part of the site was waterlogged with timber surviving over an area of c8ha (20 acres). A 10m square of the timber was excavated and shown to be part of natural woodland with no apparent human activity. Radiocarbon dates ranging between 7590 and 5530 cal BC (SUERC-17352-17354; 17358) indicate a Mesolithic date. Pollen analysis undertaken by R Tipping and A Davies (Stirling University) and wood and macro-environmental sampling by S Timpany (Headland Archaeology) were undertaken to provide a detailed insight into the woodland development. On the higher ground a number of ploughed-out features were associated with Early Neolithic Carinated pottery.
Report: Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire SMRs and RCAHMS
Funder: Stockland Halladale (UK) Ltd
HK Murray and JC Murray (Murray Archaeological Services Ltd), 2008
