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Musselburgh, Brunton's Wireworks
Burial(S) (Roman)
Site Name Musselburgh, Brunton's Wireworks
Classification Burial(S) (Roman)
Canmore ID 53811
Site Number NT37SW 161
NGR NT 342 724
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/53811
- Council East Lothian
- Parish Inveresk (East Lothian)
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District East Lothian
- Former County Midlothian
NT37SW 161 342 724.
In July 1985 well preserved human and animal bones were found by work men excavating a trench for machinery. Second century sherds of black burnished ware, samian and mortaria were included in the spoil. A hasty examination of the trench suggested the existence of at least five possible graves c.1.5m apart. Bone, pottery and oyster shell could be observed in the fills of the U-shaped graves.
A Clarke and M Kemp 1985.
NT 342 724 An integrated programme of archaeological survey and excavation was completed in January 1993 on the site of a proposed food market development. The results of this short but intensive exercise demonstrated that the present wireworks factory buildings were erected on a green field site, which in turn sealed medieval deposits. Artefactual evidence suggests a hiatus between the 15th/16th century and 19th century, which may be connected with the presence of a French fort built in 1548.
The excavated medieval deposits appear to be agriculturally derived, covering a period from the 13th to 15th century and probably relate to backlots associated with the river frontage occupation.
Sponsor: Gateway Foodmarkets
G Ewart and J Triscott 1993.
Artefact Recovery (30 June 1985)
NT37SW 161 342 724.
In July 1985 well preserved human and animal bones were found by work men excavating a trench for machinery. Second century sherds of black burnished ware, samian and mortaria were included in the spoil. A hasty examination of the trench suggested the existence of at least five possible graves c.1.5m apart. Bone, pottery and oyster shell could be observed in the fills of the U-shaped graves.
A Clarke and M Kemp 1985.
Archaeological Evaluation (24 September 2018 - 12 October 2018)
An archaeological trial trenching evaluation was carried out in advance of the development of residential flats at the Former Tesco Store and Adjacent Land, Mall Avenue, Musselburgh. The proposed development lies within the area formerly occupied by mid 20th century buildings associated with the Brunton Wireworks. Although this area was considered to be one of reasonable archaeological potential the evidence from this evaluation would suggest that significant disturbance at least to the level of the natural had taken place across the development area prior to the construction of the wireworks. If any archaeological remains had been present they would have potentially been destroyed by this earlier phase of construction. A number of features associated with the wireworks were identified (drainage pipes, creosote soaked timber sleeper beams, brick walls, concrete foundations etc). The only other features were two shallow parallel linear features of undetermined date and function. No evidence for the type of deposit identified in the 1985 intervention was identified; all the deposits identified were recent. It is considered that the intervention in 1993 that identified Medieval deposits must have been restricted to the store site which was immediately to the south of this site as nothing of that nature was identified either.
Information from OASIS ID: cfaarcha1-331552 (M Kirby)
