Morrison's Haven

NT37SE 271 37377 73780

The Prestongrange Community Archaeology Project (PCAP) has completed its first season of work at the Prestongrange Industrial Museum. Volunteer projects included the partial excavation of two stone breakwaters at Morrison's Haven. A desk-based assessment, aerial and topographic survey were also undertaken across the site to assess how much of the haven survives in comparison to early cartographic sources.

Archaeological trial trenching and test pitting were carried out on the site of a former pottery and glassworks in order to identify any structural remains associated with these industries. Finds include unstratified pottery sherds and glass waste. Preliminary results suggest that the site has been affected by later industrial development. A video diary was maintained throughout the project and formed a central component of the PCAP exhibition and open day held in September 2004.

A second season of work will include further historical research and trial trenching.

Report lodged with East Lothian SMR.

Sponsor: HLF.

M Cressey 2004

NT 371 736 The project has completed its second season of work at Prestongrange Industrial Museum between March and October 2005 (DES 2004, 46; www.prestongrange.org/pcap/). Archaeological trial trenching was carried out on the site of a former 18th-century pottery and 17th-century glassworks.

A vaulted structure was found to have been re-used as a WW2 air-raid shelter. The vault was originally part of an air flue designed to draw air into a glass kiln. No structural remains associated with the kiln itself were found. In all probability this structure has been cleared leaving only the subterranean air flue. Two discrete dumps of 18th-century pottery sherds and saggers were found within its ruined walls.

Work elsewhere on the site uncovered the remains of wall footings that post-dated the vaulted structure. The preliminary results confirm several phases of building possibly associated with a later pottery.

Interim reports lodged with East Lothian SMR.

Sponsor: HLF.

M Cressey 2005

NT 372 736 The results of the 2005 excavation have brought to light the first 18th-century remains of a glassworks ever to be found in Scotland. Substantial stone or brick-lined flues were a crucial design feature of glass manufactories and the one at Prestongrange, together with recovered crucible sherds, slag and glass fragments, provides valuable information about this early period of Scottish glass production.

The pottery assemblage has provided a wide range of material that has not been found in this quantity before. The range of redware forms also appear to be new. The number and range of 18th-century lead glazed, slipware vessels is also immense.

Other finds include iron and copper objects, clay pipes, bottle glass and flint, and appear to be well distributed across the site, particularly in the upper layers where mixing has occurred as the site has been levelled over the years.

A robbed building found on the south side of the glassworks remains is also of archaeological interest.

Sponsor: East Lothian Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Michael Cressey, 2006.

NT 372 736 The Prestongrange Community Archaeology Project (PCAP) has completed its second season of work at the Prestongrange Industrial Museum (www.prestongrange.org/pcap; NT37SE 271; DES 2004, 46; DES 2005, 57). A programme of ground-penetrating radar survey (GPR) was carried out by CFA, PCAP and Utzi Electronics in April 2006. Three areas were surveyed as part of on-going investigations to identify the remains of a Cromwellian Fort, tidal mill and pottery remains. The GPR failed to find anything conclusive that could be attributed to the remains of the fort and tidal mill. The sheer depth of demolition material within the target areas appears to have resulted to confusing radar signals. Towards an area previously investigated near the site of a glass works, the results appear more promising and were interpreted as possible building remains and enclosure walls, perhaps associated with the late 19th-century Gordon's Pottery. PCAP hopes to investigate the survey area in 2007.

Interim reports are lodged with East Lothian Council; archive to be lodged with NMRS.

Sponsor: Heritage Lottery Fund

M Cressey, 2006.