Perry, D., Dixon, P. J., Mackenzie, J. R. and Sharman, P. (2003). The origins of settlements at Kelso and Peebles, Scottish Borders archaeological excavations in Wester and Easter Kelso and Cuddyside/Bridgegate, Peebles by the Border Burghs Archaeology Project and the Scottish Urban Archaeological Trust, 1983--1994. Edinburgh: Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. https://doi.org/10.5284/1017938.

This is a report on archaeological work in two of Scotland's less well-known medieval burghs of Kelso and Peebles. The excavations at Wester Kelso/Floors Castle established that the original medieval burgh of Kelso or Wester Kelso was much further west than previously believed, being situated well inside the present Castle policies. That early settlement at Wester Kelso appears to have been abandoned in the 14th or 15th centuries, at the same time that the royal burgh of Roxburgh was deserted, probably as a result of the English occupation of Roxburgh Castle. The other settlement of Easter Kelso, near the abbey, survived and expanded northwards from the abbey along Roxburgh Street. The finding of a possible building terrace in Phase 1 at 13-19 Roxburgh Street indicates that settlement along the southern end of that street could date to as early as the 13th or 14th centuries. Combining the archaeological, cartographic and documentary evidence, it seems clear that 'Easter' Kelso, now Kelso, had expanded from the market area around tThis is a report on archaeological work in two of Scotland's less well-known medieval burghs of Kelso and Peebles. The excavations at Wester Kelso/Floors Castle established that the original medieval burgh of Kelso or Wester Kelso was much further west than previously believed, being situated well inside the present Castle policies. That early settlement at Wester Kelso appears to have been abandoned in the 14th or 15th centuries, at the same time that the royal burgh of Roxburgh was deserted, probably as a result of the English occupation of Roxburgh Castle. The other settlement of Easter Kelso, near the abbey, survived and expanded northwards from the abbey along Roxburgh Street. The finding of a possible building terrace in Phase 1 at 13-19 Roxburgh Street indicates that settlement along the southern end of that street could date to as early as the 13th or 14th centuries. Combining the archaeological, cartographic and documentary evidence, it seems clear that 'Easter' Kelso, now Kelso, had expanded from the market area around the abbey northwards towards the Floors estate by the early 18th century.\r\n\r\nThe excavations in Peebles have provided important information on the origins of the settlement of the peninsular ridge between the Tweed and Eddleston Water. The results obtained from the excavations at the two sites in Peebles indicate that settlement of the ridge began in the 12th century, soon after the establishment of the royal castle and burgh by David I (1124-53). At both sites, after initial dumping of rubbish, possibly to raise the ground level to counter flooding, occupation, in the form of stone structures, can be dated to the 14th century at the latest, with probable earlier dumping of domestic refuse in the 12th and 13th centuries. The street of Bridgegate was apparently laid out in the 13th or 14th centuries when the excavated site was divided into three properties aligned on that street, two of which had stone buildings erected on them. Alternatively, Bridgegate may have been the initial focus of settlement on the east side of the Eddleston, providing the access route from the east into Old Town, where a pilgrimage centre had been established at the Cross Kirk in 1261, and the location of the tolbooth (Bridgegate Building 4) in it suggests that this street was originally more important than High Street. It is noteworthy that all eight medieval buildings excavated at the two Peebles sites were of stone construction. Peebles tolbooth, the civic centre of the burgh, is the only medieval tolbooth site in Scotland to have been excavated.

Details of location and topography are presented. A review of the historical background commences in 1128 when the Tironesian abbey at Selkirk was transferred to 'Calchou' on the banks of the river Tweed. At this point the town of Kelso became one of the abbey's endowments. There is also a brief account of the urban development of Kelso. The only previous excavations were carried out in the abbey precincts in 1971 and 1975.

A brief documentary history and summary of excavation methodology is followed by a detailed archaeological description. Three phases of activity wee identified (pre-dating, contemporary with and post-dating the 18th- or 19th-century building), the earliest phase can be sub-divided into three or four phases. Finds from phase 1 include pottery and clay pipe fragments dating to the 17th-19th century but it is possible that some of the deposits and features could be earlier. Two residual medieval sherds were found during the excavation.

Evidence of settlement activity in the vicinity dates back to the prehistoric period but it is not know when it began in Peebles itself. There is some evidence to suggest an early Christian centre prior to the foundation of the royal burgh under David I in the 12th century. The excavations to be described covered three properties in Bridgegate, one of which was described a document of 1487/8. Previously a small excavation was carried out on the site of the castle in 1977.

The archaeological sequence has been divided into seven separate phases of activity spanning some 600-800 years. Each phase represents a distinct change of activity on the site. The phases are as follows: phase 1 - dumping, flooding and hillwash (12th-15th century); phase 2 - medieval development; phase 3 - drainage; phase 4 - imported soils; phase 5 - late medieval development; phase 6 - 18th- and 19th-century landscaping; and phase 7 - 20th century.

Artefacts from the excavations are described and discussed below. For each burgh, the artefacts report begins with brief summaries of the assemblage from each excavation. Following this is a select catalogue of the artefacts, organised by material and artefact type. Finds from the Kelso excavations are discussed together, whereas finds from Bridgegate and Cuddyside are discussed separately. The finds include personal items, textile equipment, lithics, clay pipes and coins. Materials comprise copper alloy, gold, lead alloy, iron, bone. glass ceramic building material and a leather offcut.

This section comprises specialist reports on charred cereal residues from a corn-drying kiln at 13-19 Roxburgh Street, Kelso along with analysis of wood and organics, plant remains from building A at Wester Kelso/Floors Castle, Trench 3, a stone-lined pit in Trench 3 and coal samples from Roxburgh Street.

Heated stones from the floor of a late medieval corn-drying kiln were examined. The 95% confidence circles intersect the curve for the last half of the 16th century.