Rosemarkie,,courthill Road, Greenside Farm

NH 7337 5740 An evaluation was carried out, 15 – 22 January 2018, on land NW of Greenside Farmhouse in advance of the construction of 50 dwellings. A total of 14 trenches were excavated across the site, limited by the depth of deep soil layers, which extended up to 1.5 – 1.6m deep across two-thirds of the site.

The evaluation revealed significant prehistoric archaeology was present. Two features contained prehistoric pottery, some of which potentially dates to the Neolithic period. Coarse stone tools and pieces of a possible crucible were also recovered from one prehistoric pit.

A collection of medieval pottery fragments was recovered from a deep soil layer below the upper ploughsoil, indicating that medieval archaeology could also be present. Linear ditches and the fragmentary remains of a possible stone wall were also uncovered, including a substantial slab-built culvert, which correlates to a description in the Statistical Account (1794) of works undertaken by the local minister to drain a pond.

Archive: NRHE (intended)

Funder: Cameron and Paterson Estates Ltd

Mary Peteranna – AOC Archaeology Group

(Source: DES Volume 19)

NH 7337 5740 An archaeological controlled strip watching brief and subsequent excavation were carried out on land NW of Greenside Farmhouse, Courthill Road, in relation to the construction of 50 dwellings and associated works. Targeted excavation of areas of interest identified during the site evaluation in 2018 was not possible due to extremely deep topsoil in half of the site, from 2–3m in depth. The work took place from 10 August to 20 December 2020.

Extensive areas of prehistoric pit and posthole groups were identified on the site, while other areas contained the shallow remains of linear and curvilinear ditches, including a substantial slab-built culvert of probable mid-18th-century date. While there has been no clear interpretation of the ditches made, the site is located on the former glebe land and may represent areas of use for medieval/late medieval agricultural purposes.

The prehistoric areas contained extensive evidence for structural postholes within which pits containing fragments of prehistoric ceramics and struck flints, including two flint scrapers, were found. In one area at the centre of the site, a large double posthole enclosure surrounded a post-defined roundhouse. While the double postholes were sterile of archaeological finds, the roundhouse postholes contained a large amount of coarse stone artefacts, mainly hammerstones, and features that may represent non-ferrous metalworking with possible mould fragments recovered. In the same area, remnants of prehistoric soil layers were uncovered, and a large concentration of broken prehistoric ceramics was recovered within a concentration in one area, possibly defining a discrete occupation area.

The site clearance was undertaken in different stages, dictated by the contractor. As a result, the full extent of features in some areas were not recorded simultaneously. In some areas partial remains of further roundhouses – potentially up to six further structures – were identified. Further site clearance will be undertaken in the future as development works proceed.

Archive: NRHE (intended)

Funder: Pat Munro Homes

Mary Peteranna – AOC Archaeology Group

(Source: DES Vol 21)