Old Loudoun Castle, Hindberrybank

NS 5170 3777 Since 2010, a local resident has been investigating the former Loudoun castle site and its wider landscape, known as the Big Wood, or Bluebell Planting. A programme of vegetation clearance and test-pitting took place at the castle site, revealing additional sections of masonry and possible wall structures, together with finds dating from the medieval period onwards. Previously unknown features and sites were also identified within the Big Wood. One of these sites was investigated in 2011 through de-turfing and minimal ground disturbance.

Since 2015, Archaeology Scotland, through their Adopt-a-Monument (AaM) project, have been providing support to the local resident to investigate and record the archaeological features within the Big Wood, and during his small scale test excavations on the NE part of the Loudoun Castle site (2017-present).

To date, the AaM work has comprised desk-based assessment (DBA) to identify all previously recorded sites and any new sites from DBA sources within the Big Wood area, with three days of walkover field survey undertaken in March 2015 and September 2016 to visit and record those sites identified during the DBA and any additional sites. This work identified a total of 20 sites within the Big Wood, including: the former medieval Loudoun Castle; the Lime Road and associated bridges, and lime kiln and quarry of likely 18th century date; a possible tunnel or substantial stone-lined culvert; and, an augmented well or natural spring.

The small scale test excavations on the medieval castle site comprise four test pits (TP1-4), and two larger rectangular strip trenches across the alignment of an upstanding section of substantial bank (BTN and BTS).

TP1, measuring 1 x 1m, is located in the moat of the former castle and revealed a large amount of rocks, likely to be rubble and demolition from the castle. TP2, measuring 1.5m by 1.8m, is located across the remains of a possible drystone wall visible on the ground surface to the NE of the castle. The tumbled remains of an E-W aligned wall were found within the test pit together with a small area of possibly natural subsoil onto which the wall may have been constructed. TP3, measuring 1 x 1m, is located a few meters N of TP2. A flat-laid mortared stone surface was recorded in the base of this test pit, together with a small area of compacted clay-possibly a clay floor. TP4, measuring 1 x 1.2m is located between TP 2 and 3. A continuation of the drystone wall identified in TP2 was recorded in this test pit, together with the remains of a possible earlier wall underlying, visible on a rough N-S alignment and corresponding to a wall identified in the northern trench across the bank (BTN), which lies c. 1.5m S of TP4.

Excavation of the trenches across the bank revealed the presence of a large bank and stone-lined ditch with at least three fills, located to the south of the bank, and a possible ditch or wide cut, with at least two fills, located to the N of the bank. The northern ditch appears to have been overlain by a section of substantial wall, aligned NNE-SSW, and constructed of large rounded to sub-rounded river boulders with a rubble core. The wall seems to continue into TP4, and may relate to a long section of upstanding wall visible to the north and north-west. The wall, ditches and bank have been overlain by two later deposits of soil, containing mixed finds from the late 13th-17th centuries.

Further excavation and survey at the site is planned as part of a wider Big Wood project.

Archive: NRHE (intended)

Funder: Archaeology Scotland and Historic Environment Scotland

Héléna Gray and Mac Coxhead - Archaeology Scotland

(Source: DES Vol 20)

NS 5170 3777 Since December 2019, Mr Coxhead has continued to undertake investigation of the small-scale excavation areas he has previously opened up and been working on (2017 to date) on the north-eastern part of the Loudoun Castle site, with the continued support (remotely) of Archaeology Scotland, through their Adopt-a-Monument (AaM) project. Any larger-scale excavation project work, which had hopefully been due to take place in 2020, has been postponed due to Covid-19.

Previous excavation work included the excavation of four testpits (TP1–4), and two larger rectangular strip trenches across the alignment of an upstanding section of substantial bank (BTN and BTS). Mr Coxhead’s work over the past year has comprised small extensions and re-examining and recording of testpits 2–4, and a small extension to the BTN trench across part of an upstanding bank. The small extensions, no more 1m in width, have been excavated in order to better expose, further investigate and elucidate, the potential buried structural features already identified in these locations.

The TP2 extension confirmed the presence of a substantial wall, at least 1m in thickness, perhaps with a corner/return present within the testpit. An earlier structural phase was also identified, possible flagging for a floor or another wall, underlying a deposit of smaller rubble stones abutted the substantial wall. Also identified were two possible postholes set into a compacted clay, with some iron hammer scale recovered from the clay surface around the stones.

The TP3 extension identified a possible posthole with packing stones, further evidence for a compacted clay floor and a drystone wall.

The TP4 extension suggests that there do appear to be two walls or a wall and flooring, representing different structural phases, the earlier of which is associated with a series of small post or stakeholes. It is not clear now if this earlier structural feature does align with the substantial wall previously encountered in BTN trench.

Within the BTN trench extension, further evidence of the substantial wall previously encountered was identified, suggesting that it is deeper than first supposed and does have a wall foundation cut associated with it. Potentially two cuts have now been identified within the BTN trench; of which one may relate to the wall construction.

Further excavation and survey at the site is planned as part of a wider project.

Archive: NRHE

Funder: Archaeology Scotland; Historic Environment Scotland

Héléna Gray and Mac Coxhead

(Source: DES Vol 21)

NS 5170 3777 Small-scale excavation work has been carried out by Mr Coxhead on the northeastern part of the Loudoun Castle site, with the support of Archaeology Scotland, since 2019, through their Adopt-a-Monument (AaM) project. A wider project including previously planned larger scale excavation work has been postponed due to Covid-19. However, in May 2021, as part of a staff training exercise, Archaeology Scotland undertook four days of excavation at the site. The aim of the work was to help finish and record the trenches in the main area of excavation, and to understand better the nature of the features already identified, and further clarify any phasing and relationships between them. A topographic survey of the overall Loudoun Castle site was also undertaken, to provide an up-to-date record of visible upstanding features and inform future locations for potential excavation.

The main areas of excavation are located across or within

potential upstanding structural features associated with the possible outer bailey of the castle. Previous work includes the excavation and extension of three test-pits (TP2–4) and two small linear trenches across the alignment of an upstanding section of substantial bank (BTN and BTS). This work has identified the presence of a substantial wall with a possible earlier structural phase and two possible postholes (TP2); a possible posthole with packing stones and compacted floor (TP3); two phases of wall or possible wall and flooring, associated with a series of small stakeholes (TP4); and, a substantial wall with possibly two associated cuts, and a bank and a ditch (Trench BTN and BTS (together now Trench 1))

The present work continued excavation in TP3, a small trench now measuring 1.5 x 1.5m, which recorded and removed an area of flat-lying large stones on a compacted clay surface, overlain by possible tumble stones. No features were recorded under the flat-lying stones, and current interpretation suggests that together these represent the remains of a post-pad and/or occupation layer of a building or yard surface within the castle bailey.

A wider excavation area was opened up joining TP2 and TP4 together into one trench (Tr.4) measuring 5.2m E–W by 3.5m N–S, by up to 0.8m in depth in the north-eastern corner of the trench where excavation reached natural subsoil. Excavation here currently suggests that there are at least three main phases of activity. The earliest phase is represented by a substantial L-shaped section of dry stone wall, possibly medieval in date, which was identified previously in TP2 and is also found in Trench 1 to the S. This wall may form a building or structure aligned NNE–SSE and be associated with the bank and ditch also found in Trench 1. This structure was overlain by a second, less substantial L-shaped section of dry stone wall, aligned approximately N–S. This may be a second, later structure, possibly an enclosure, and is associated with a stone surface and the stakeholes already identified in TP4. Following the formation of an old ground surface over some of the second phase structural remains, the third phase is represented by another fairly substantial dry stone linear section of wall, aligned E–W and running across and disturbing the remains of both the phase 1 and phase 2 structures. This wall was identified in both TP2 and TP4.

Archive: NRHE (intended)

Funder: Archaeology Scotland; Historic Environment Scotland

Héléna Gray and Mac Coxhead - Archaeology Scotland

NS 5170 3777 Small scale excavation work has been carried out by Mr Coxhead on the northeastern part of the Loudoun Castle site, with the support of Archaeology Scotland’s Adopt-a-Monument (AaM) project since 2019. A wider project including previously planned larger scale excavation work has been postponed due to COVID-19. In May 2022, as part of a staff training exercise, Archaeology Scotland undertook two days of excavation and recording at the site with Mr Coxhead.

Visual inspection and a previous topographic survey of the overall Loudoun Castle site indicated a large turf covered mound feature located further to the W of previous excavation trenches. The mound potentially abuts the continuation of the large bank already identified and excavated in Trench 1. The northern side of the mound is closest to the moat and the castle remains and slopes steeply towards the top edge of the moat. A small trench, Trench 5, measuring 4.6m in length by 0.5m wide was opened across the central part of the mound and down its northern face. Topsoil was removed to a depth of c0.15m, revealing the mound to be earthen in part, possibly comprising two different soils. The remains of a stone structure, a revetment wall or at least two small terraces/steps, were recorded built into N side of the mound. A small amount of subsoil had formed over the exposed revetment wall stones/steps before two large stones tumbled or moved slightly from their original context. No further excavation was undertaken and it is unclear at present if this feature relates to the castle; its stratigraphic relationship with the large bank from Trench 1 has still to be determined.

The large bank appears to terminate further W beyond the

mound feature. A small trench, Trench 6, measuring 1.5 x 1.5m was opened up just at the base of the bank terminus, across an area of visibly protruding stones. Topsoil was removed to a depth of 0.2m to reveal an area of partially level large mixed stones and a section of mortared stonework. These appeared to be sitting on another soil deposit and other stones. It is possible they represent the remains of a surface or other structure, but given the mixed nature of the stone, including the mortared stonework, it seems likely that at least some of this material represents redeposited/ dumped demolition material. A single sherd of white gritty ware was recovered from the topsoil in the trench. No further excavation was undertaken in Trench 6.

Archive: NRHE

Funder: Archaeology Scotland and Historic Environment Scotland

Héléna Gray and Mac Coxhead – Archaeology Scotland

(Source: DES Volume 23)