Easter Elchies, Macallan Distillery

NJ 27210 44930 A programme of archaeological work was undertaken, May–October 2016, in advance of further development at the distillery. A total of 46 trenches, covering an area of 4840m2, were excavated across the 6.6ha area. Whilst the majority contained fence postholes, relating to

modern farming activity, the NW corner of the site appeared to contain features of potential significance, and it was agreed that a c23000m2 area should be fully excavated.

Topsoil was removed and all features (other than modern fence postholes) were excavated by hand. There was clear evidence of early improvement with tree-throw from clearance work, muirburn from soil improvement and three lengths of slumped dry stone dyke lying below the ploughsoil from early land division.

A total of 97 postholes that did not appear to be modern were excavated, but no alignments were noted. In addition, 162 pits were excavated. Whilst 157 contained no evidence of their use or function and held no material that could be dated, five had evidence of in situ burning at the base, and

radiocarbon dates are awaited. Two other pit-type features were also excavated. The first was identified as a pit oven – a pit lined with stones set in a clay matrix and having a central void in which a fire would be set. The other was a coble – a pit lined with a mixture of degraded granite and clay which was then fired to create a waterproof ceramic lining. These were generally used for either hide or cloth processing or for steeping malted grain for brewing. The small size of this example suggests the latter use. A total of eight kilns were identified and excavated. All had a figure of eight form, with a drying bowl joined to a burning bowl by a flue, and all appeared to have been used for drying grain. Five had been severely truncated by later agricultural activity, but three were well preserved. One was small and would have presumably served as a domestic kiln, while the other two were larger and had drying bowls lined with stones. These were each sufficiently large to have served a community. All three showed evidence of having been modified during their working lives. It is hoped a chronology can be obtained through radiocarbon dating of environmental samples taken during excavation of the kilns.

The remains of two buildings were also identified, each with a footprint of c7 x 4m. The first was characterised by an area of cobbled and consolidated floor surface, bounded at the SE edge by a double line of stakeholes. Another double line of stakeholes ran further SE at 90° to this initial line, slightly off the axis of symmetry. The lines of stakeholes appear to represent internal divisions in the building, with the NW section interpreted as domestic occupation while the SE was used to house livestock. The second building, which did not appear to be domestic, was situated on top of the hill. The footprint was defined by a series of stoneholes (the stones now removed) which would have supported the footings of a turf-walled building. Internally there were signs of a partition dividing the structure into two areas. The first had indications of repeated resurfacing of a worn floor area surrounding a large glacial boulder. The second area had indications of being used for the repeated heating of stones, possibly connected with a fluid tank in the first area. It is hoped that radiocarbon dates together with analysis of environmental samples will allow further interpretation. The archaeological evidence for such structures in NE Scotland is very rare because the buildings were walled in turf and set upon the soil surface, and as a result subsequent agricultural activities tended to erase all trace of prior occupation. Evidence such as this is particularly valuable in understanding past rural land use.

Archive: NRHE (intended)

Funder: Macallan Property Development Ltd

Dave Anderson and Leanne Demay – Highland Archaeology Services

(Source: DES, Volume 18)