Arran, Lamlash, Kilbride Chapel, Churchyard

NS 0314 3222 A programme of archaeological work was carried out, November 2016 – June 2017, prior to the extension to Lamlash Cemetery. An 8% evaluation, consisting of eight trenches of 21–30m in length recorded several features. These consisted of several small pit and posthole features and a series of dark silt spreads. These were located across four trenches and were mostly around a gentle break in the slope towards the S and W of the area under investigation. All the features were quite charcoal rich, and four small posthole or pit features within Trench 6 formed an alignment. Two fragments of worked pitchstone were recovered within Trench 4.

In May 2017, a watching brief was carried out during topsoil stripping the NE corner of the site. Three features were encountered and fully excavated: two small charcoal rich pits and a small linear ditch feature, from which a sherd of green glaze ceramic was recovered.

In June 2017, a watching brief was carried out during groundwork associated with the installation of a new badger fence around the area of the extension. A small section of the to the NE of the site was not monitored due to access issues. The excavation of 0.5m wide trench into the subsoil along the perimeter of the area revealed two features, which were fully excavated.

Archive: NRHE (intended)

Funder: North Ayrshire Council

Beth Spence – GUARD Archaeology Ltd

(Source: DES, Volume 18)

NS 03133 32222 (centred) An excavation was undertaken, 7 December 2018, prior to the commencement of the Lamlash Cemetery extension on land to the SW of St Bride’s Chapel. The excavation was required after an initial evaluation of the site in November 2016 uncovered archaeological features in four of the evaluation trenches and two fragments of pitchstone were recovered one of which was worked. A total area amounting to 4354m2 was stripped of topsoil to establish the extent of any archaeological features prior to developing the site. Beneath the topsoil numerous pits and postholes were uncovered, the remnants of a destroyed standing stone, the remains of part of a putative stone circle, three ditches, a stone-built culvert, an extensive occupation layer comprising a black earth containing abundant lithic artefacts, fragments of worked pitchstone and occasional fragments of flint. Beneath the occupation layer further pits, shallow gullies and an oval segmented curvilinear gully were found. A large deep curvilinear feature with a short spur off the main body of the feature, again containing frequent lithic artefacts, around which further pits were recorded, was located in the SW corner of the site. The archaeology uncovered likely spans from the Mesolithic through to the medieval period.

Archive: NRHE

Funder: North Ayrshire Council

Alan Hunter Blair – GUARD Archaeology Ltd

(Source: DES Volume 21)