White, R. and O'Connell, C. (2010). Excavations on the Site of Balmerino House, Constitution Street, Leith. Edinburgh: Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. https://doi.org/10.5284/1017938.

Information on site location and the nature of the archaeological work is presented.

Six phases of activity were identified. The remains are described by phase as follows: phase 1 - medieval pits and a well; phase 2 - late medieval or early post-medieval midden deposit; phase 3 - early post-medieval quarry pits; phase 4 - skeletal remains and overlying midden layer; phase 5 - Balmerino House construction; phase 6 - demolition and modern levelling. Radiocarbon dates were obtained on two of the skeletons.

The assemblage comprised four discrete inhumations and some disarticulated bone representing a minimum of six individuals. All were male or probable male. Notable features included dental wear associated with the use of clay tobacco pipes, healed rib fractures and a depressed skull fracture. The burials have been dated to the early post-medieval period and are probably 16th or early 17th century. They may originally have been within the boundary of a much larger parish church or alternatively could be the burials of executed prisoners.

This chapter comprises specialist reports on pottery, clay pipes, ceramic building material, fired clay, stone, glass, terracotta, metalwork, vitrified material, worked bone and animal bone.

A phased overview of the excavated features is presented.

The remains of the front of Balmerino House, built in 1631, were uncovered during an archaeological excavation at St Mary's Star of the Sea Roman Catholic Church, Constitution Street, Leith. The work also revealed several phases of medieval to post-medieval activity, and a small burial ground which predated the house. The earliest feature uncovered by the excavation was a well containing 13th- to 14th-century pottery. Large quantities of late to post-medieval pottery were recovered, as well as iron objects, glass and bone. The human remains comprised six adult males, although some were incomplete due to later disturbance. Of importance to the history of clay tobacco pipe manufacture in Scotland is a small assemblage of clay-pipe wasters and kiln waste dated c1630'“40.