Bannockburn House

A walk-over survey was carried out in the policies of Bannockburn House to identify any previously unrecognised features. Other than known features, garden, agricultural and coal mining, two features were noted and recorded. The first was a linear feature at NS80715 89024. On maps and Lidar it looks like a field boundary but on the ground it is revealed as a circa 65m long ditch or channel, c 3m wide, 1m deep, with a steep higher bank on one side than the other and a smaller ditch beyond the lower side. There was no evidence of stone walling in the sides of the main ditch. The feature has been cut by the construction of the A91 and is terminated by a field wall at its NW end. There was no evidence for its continuation into the next field. A second feature, a turf dyke, was recorded at NS 81154 881616. The dyke was traced on the ground. It extends from the post and wire fence at the foot of the bank of the current M9 and extends for 9.8m in a NNE direction before turning to the NNW for a further 7.4m. A section was exposed at the point where it turns and a sketch plan was made. The dyke consists of reduced turf-covered foundation stones of rough cut local freestone. Lidar shows rig and furrow west of the feature although it was not seen on the ground. It is surmised that the dyke is part of arable landscape previous to the formation of garden features.

Information from OASIS ID: acfa1-521031 (J Munro) 20