St Boswells, Dryburgh Estate

NT53SE 214 c.593 316

NT 593 316 A watching brief was carried out in May 2003 during the installation of a new private water supply to part of the Dryburgh Estate, some 200m SE of Dryburgh Abbey and within the Scheduled area (see also DES 2002, 103).

The trench for the water supply crossed a mill lade, aligned NW-SE. The excavated portion of the lade is sited on a gentle curve, and stones protruding from the bank suggested the presence of a buried wall. Finds dating to the 18th to 19th centuries were recovered from the fill of the lade. A quernstone was recovered from above the suspected wall. No clearly medieval finds were recovered. In recent times, both a shallow drainage ditch and a foul sewer were inserted into the mill lade.

Report lodged with Scottish Borders SMR and the NMRS.

Sponsor: Northumberland Estates, Alnwick Castle.

I Suddaby 2003

NT 5937 3154 A watching brief was carried out in July 2004 during the excavation of foundations and a service trench for a fishing hut on the banks of the River Tweed. All the work took place within the southern part of the Scheduled area around Dryburgh Abbey. The foundations were excavated into a raised cobbled platform, c 25 x 15m. Archaeological and cartographic evidence suggest that the platform was built in the early 20th century. According to one local source, the platform was the base of a stable block built in 1915 for cavalry officers. The stables were demolished in 1985.

Archive to be deposited in the NMRS.

Sponsor: Northumberland Estates Ltd.

M Kirby 2004