Gooder, J. (2013). Excavations in the Canongate Backlands, Edinburgh. York: Archaeology Data Service. https://doi.org/10.9750/issn.1773-3808.2013.56.

The paper presents the results of two excavations undertaken in 1999 and 2000 within parts of the World Heritage Site of the Old Town of Edinburgh and the Canongate. Excavation at Plot N of the Holyrood North Re-Development Project, Holyrood Road, unearthed evidence of Medieval boundary works (including a possible 12th-century burgh ditch), a 17th-century well, a Medieval graindrying kiln, refuse pits, drainage features and Post-Medieval cultivation soils. Excavation alongside Calton Road revealed evidence of medieval/Post-medieval property divisions, cultivation soils and quarry pits. Both sites yielded significant artefact assemblages.

The medieval burgh of Canongate has its origins in the 12th century. It was incorporated with Edinburgh in 1636.

A brief account of the cartographic evidence is followed by a summary of earlier work. During this investigation five broad phases of activity within two burgage plots were identified as follows: phase 1, 14th-15th century, a garden soil and two pits; phase 2, 15th-16th century, a small ditch and a stony path; phase 3, 17th century, garden soil, a robbed out wall trench and a ditch; phase 4, 18th century, a garden soil and 13 timber stakes; phase 5, 19th-20th century, building rubble including several thousand stoneware bottle sherds from the Caledonian Pottery in Glasgow.

Key among the discoveries are the boundary features of the burgh, including an early ditch. The identified sequence of boundaries at Holyrood Road saw the Canongate Ditch superceded by a 13th-14th century palisade and then in turn by an early 16th century wall.