Lawnmarket, Riddle's Court

NT 22562 73527 Two phases of archaeological work took place at Riddle’s Court between November 2012 and June 2017 prior to and during refurbishment and alteration work. Phase 1: Documentary research produced a credible broad narrative of the occupants and critical monetary changes that occurred under each ownership or tenancy between 1584 and 1702. Between these years radical alterations within the

interior of the complex were carried out to suit the needs of the occupants. A full photographic survey recorded the current layout of the buildings making up the building complex.

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) took place within the inner court and outer courts. A cellar is known to have had in its entrance hatch on the NE side of the Inner Court, but only patchy anomalies were found in this area, suggesting that it had been mostly infilled. On the W side of the Outer Court a variety of confused anomalies suggest that only shallow remains are present from the buildings known to have previously occupied this part of the site.

Phase 2: The work was both investigative and reactive according to the refurbishment schedule. The principal features recorded included seven hitherto unrecorded fireplaces dating from the late 16th century to the late 19th century. The earliest and largest fireplace was found on the ground floor of the West Block. This was an arched fireplace with a later fireplace and coal cupboard inserted within it. Once these later features were removed a bread oven and salt press were found within the interior of the

fireplace. Investigative work within the North Block revealed the presence of two painted beam and board ceilings. A first floor ceiling had a series of painted beams and all but one painted board survived. This appears to have similar artwork to a ceremonial painted ceiling installed to commemorate a royal visit by the Duke of Holstein, brother-in-law of James

V1 of Scotland. A second painted ceiling was found to have survived in a better condition on the second floor. The artwork was a mixture of foliate swirls and patterns within a series of parallel borders. A third ceiling was found at the roof level when the existing ceiling was removed. This revealed an original third floor. The pine planks were lifted to reveal tempra artwork below. The artwork was seen to be the same as that on the painted ceiling at second floor level, suggesting that they were by the same artist. Floor reduction work within the ground floor of the North Block revealed historic cobble flooring above various earlier beaten floor layers. These contained an assortment of ‘refuse’, including oyster shell, animal bone, modern finds mixed with possible post-medieval artefacts such as pot sherds and a copper alloy mount.

During Phase 1 the building was assessed for dendrochronological dating which then took place during Phase 2. One timber was found to have definitely been felled in spring 1586 which ties in with the date stone of 1587 in the West Block. The North Block was constructed first, and the

tree-ring correlations show that the two buildings were built only c3 years apart.

Funder: Scottish Historic Buildings Trust (SHBT)

Archive: NRHE (intended)

Michael Cressey – CFA Archaeology Ltd

(Source: DES, Volume 18)