Alexandria, Vale Of Leven Hospital

A programme of archaeological fieldwork was carried out on land to the south of Vale of Leven Hospital, Alexandria, prior to the construction of a new Care Centre. In the evaluation, a total of seven pits were discovered in two trenches, comprising a loose concentration but without any definite form or pattern. Four of the pits were investigated and were shown to have steep sides and substantial depth, raising the possibiltiy that they may be post-holes. The likelihood of further pits and features nearby was considered to be high. An area excavation was carried out in October and November 2011. A total of ninety features were recorded, comprising of pits, post-holes and a circular ring-groove. The pits were largely small and sterile but three significant features were excavated, each containing large quantities of Grooved Ware. Five egg-shaped pits contained burnt mound material. The post-holes formed no recognisable patterns. The ring-groove had a diameter of 10.5m. Neither an entrance, nor internal post-holes were recorded. A palaeochannel was recorded running across the site and the upper levels of this feature contained a buried ploughsoil containing numerous sherds of prehistoric ceramic, quartz and part of a cannal-coal artefact. The ploughsoil overlay a natural sandy fill which was heavily scored by ard-marks. A second phase of excavation in May 2012 exposed and excavated further pits and the remainder of the palaeochannel. It also revealed a 'U'shaped ditch overlain by quantities of stones. No finds were recovered.

Information from Oasis (cfaarcha1-105598) 27 March 2013