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Gooder, J. (2013).
Excavations in the Canongate Backlands, Edinburgh
. York: Archaeology Data Service. https://doi.org/10.9750/issn.1773-3808.2013.56.
Title
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Title:
Excavations in the Canongate Backlands, Edinburgh
Series
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Series:
Scottish Archaeological Internet Reports
Volume
Volume number and part
Volume:
56
Number of Pages
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Number of Pages:
48
Downloads
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Downloads:
sair56.pdf (2 MB)
:
Download
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ADS, CC-BY 4.0 or CC-BY 4.0 NC.
Licence Type:
ADS Terms of Use and Access
Publication Type
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Publication Type:
Monograph Chapter (in Series)
Abstract
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Abstract:
The following 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.
Author
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Author:
John Gooder
Issue Editor
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Issue Editor:
Helen Bleck
Publisher
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Publisher:
Historic Scotland
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
Archaeology Data Service
Year of Publication
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Year of Publication:
2013
Locations
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Locations:
Location - Auto Detected:
Calton Road
Location - Auto Detected:
Edinburgh
Subjects / Periods
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Subjects / Periods:
Post-Medieval (Auto Detected Temporal)
Medieval (Auto Detected Temporal)
boundary (Auto Detected Subject)
quarry pits (Auto Detected Subject)
pits (Auto Detected Subject)
graindrying kiln (Auto Detected Subject)
ditch (Auto Detected Subject)
Source
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Source:
BIAB (DigitalBorn)
Relations
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Relations:
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.9750/issn.1773-3808.2013.56
Created Date
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Created Date:
21 Aug 2014
Please click on an Article link to go to the Article Details.
Chapter Title
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Page
Start/End
Abstract
Abstract
1
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.
Introduction
2
Lying between Arthur's Seat and Calton Hill, the Canongate is situated on the lower part of the crag and tail feature created by the glacial obstruction of the Castle Rock. Both excavations were located in peripheral zones of medieval and post-medieval backland activity.
Historical background
3
The medieval burgh of Canongate has its origins in the 12th century. It was incorporated with Edinburgh in 1636.
Holyrood development north site, plot N, Holyrood Road
4 - 11
A summary of earlier work in 1991 is followed by an archaeological description of the recent investigation. Five phases of activity have been identified, the earliest of which is represented by residual pottery sherds of 12th-century date. A large boundary ditch in phase 2 was cut in the 12th century and backfilled in the 13th. Phase 3 features included a grain-drying kiln, a wall and a number of pits. Phase 4 comprised 17th-century cultivation soils, a well and a possible cess pit. Phase 5 comprised 18th-and 19th-century cultivation soils and a cess pit.
Calton Road
12 - 14
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.
Post-excavation analyses
George R Haggarty
Nicholas M McQ Holmes
Dennis B Gallagher
David Henderson
Clare Ellis
Andrew Heald
Stuart D Campbell
Patrice Vandorpe
Jill Turnbull
15 - 34
Detailed specialist reports are held in the archive at the RCAHMS. Pottery was mainly Scottish post-medieval oxidised ware and its reduced version. Most of the medieval pottery was Scottish white gritty ware while the most common import was Dutch post-medieval glazed red earthenware. The assemblage of clay tobacco pipes is a substantial addition to the corpus of 17th-century pipes from Edinburgh. Other brief reports include those on animal bone, metal and slag, plant remains, window and vessel glass and a billon penny of Robert III.
The significance of the excavations
35 - 36
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.
Archiving
37
The primary records and the specialist reports have been deposited with the National Monuments Record of Scotland while the artefacts have been submitted for allocation through the Finds Disposal Panel.
Acknowledgements
38
References
39 - 42