Alder Archaeology Ltd unpublished report series

Alder Archaeology Ltd was commissioned to undertake an evaluation on the site of a proposed new bridge on the A822 over the River Braan at Amulree, Perth and Kinross. The site of the new development is just E of the historic Amulree bridge and is centred on NGR NN 9010 3679. The development site was considered to be of archaeological interest as it encompasses the site of an historic ford over the River Braan, and it was also considered possible that the lost site of St Mary's Chapel, located somewhere on the N side of the river could be within the development area. The evaluation (Alder site code AJ01) was carried out during the period 2-3 December 2009. Evaluation trenches on the N side of the river revealed that a ramp of redeposited natural sandy gravel leading from the A822 down to the river was probably 19th Century and trenches on the S side of the river revealed only natural deposits of silt, gravel and a compact stony layer. Nothing that could be related to the historic ford or the site of St Mary's Chapel was found

Alder Archaeology Ltd was commissioned by Forestry Commission Scotland to carry out a desk-based assessment and walkover survey in Blairadam Forest, Fife. This work was carried out to enable the FCS to make informed and reasonable decisions on the future management of the cultural heritage within Blairadam Forest. The forest lies to the west of the M90 motorway, near Kelty, and measures roughly 12 square kilometres. Sites identified in the desk-based assessment were visited over several days between the 29th of August and the 28th of September 2009. The results of this survey found that many of the boundaries that once belonged to Blairadam estate can still be found hidden in the forest. The boundaries (comprising tree lined banks, ha-ha's and walls) belong to the designed landscape created by the Adam family over three generations between 1733 and 1834. It was possible in many areas to distinguish between three different phases of boundary alterations. The survey also found extensive mining remains along three different burns, some of which may date to the medieval period. The most extensive of these remains was an area of Bell Pits dating to the 18th century and possibly earlier. Later mining remains visited included a possible 19th century mine almost hidden along the Kelty burn, as well as remains of Blairenbathie Colliery and a later drift mine dating to the 1940s. The ruins of two farmsteads were found on the periphery of the forest close to the large opencast mine, as well as a possible Second World War watch tower. Other sites of interest included several reservoirs, waterworks and dams, two cottage ruins, and a great many quarries. As part of the study a suite of GIS shapefiles and a database were created to help with future mitigation. The site code for the project was KU01.

In April and August 2010 Alder Archaeology undertook monitoring of topsoiling on two areas of archaeological concern on a residential development site to the east of Frankfield Loch, Stepps, site code, SP03. The work was in response to recommendations made by SUAT in 2007 after the initial evaluation of the site. The two areas of concern were an L shaped linear ditch feature in the mid part of the development site and the foundations of a 19th century brick building shown on the Ordnance Survey plan, 1898. The watching brief on the area of the linear ditch feature found no evidence of associated features which could date the ditch or shed light on its exact function. It is considered that the feature was probably a boundary ditch as its eastern arm followed the hill slope down to Frankfield Loch. The full ground plan for the 19th c building, was obtained, however, its function could not be ascertained. As it was set beside a narrow gauge mineral railway and a quarry on the E side of railway track it may well have been associated with the working of those operations. No further archaeological work is required on this site R Cachart 2010

Dundee City Council commissioned Alder Archaeology Ltd to undertake an archaeological evaluation on the site of a proposed new leisure pool, multi-storey car park and ground-level car park at East Marketgait/East Whale Lane, Dundee. The proposed development area was a site c 4000m2 in size located to the east of the southern end of East Marketgait centred on NGR NO 40734 30625. The work (site code DD54) was undertaken on the 19th and 20th of April 2010 in good weather conditions. The requirement was to evaluate 2% of the available area, which worked out at 4 trenches, each measuring 10m by 2m. The evaluation revealed that deposits on the site comprise 18th and 19th century made up ground dumped to reclaim land from the sea. At the northern end of the site one of these deposits contained re-deposited medieval pottery, suggesting that nearby Medieval remains were disturbed during this process of land reclamation. Trench 01 uncovered a cobbled yard surface, probably part of Stewart's Court, which seems to date to the first part of the 19th century. A square stone with a central slot found set into the cobbles may have been for a post connected to a stall for stabling horses. Trench 02 revealed two walls relating to the 19th century warehouses that used to cover the site prior to redevelopments in the early 1990s. The most significant find during the evaluation was the discovery of the redundant 1793 Sea Wall which was found in Trench 04. This wall, which measured over a metre in width at the top, survived to a height of 1.8m and was composed of large squared blocks of roughly mortared whinstone. The construction trench of this wall had truncated an earlier 18th century building which may have originally been built right up against the shoreline.

Alder Archaeology was commissioned Mrs Emma Paterson, Auchlyne to undertake an archaeological survey of the McNab burial ground at Suie in Glen Dochart, by Killin (NGR NN 49004 28003). The work (KJ 15) was undertaken during three visits in March 2010. The survey was to be a record of the site prior to tree removal and remedial works to the enclosure which was in an unstable condition. The archaeological work comprised a topographical survey of the site, a written record of the memorials and grave markers, a photographic record and probing to note the possible site of buried slabs. It was noted that an early Christian cross incised stone had started to fracture

St Michael's Roman Catholic Church, Linlithgow, commissioned Alder Archaeology to undertake a watching brief during alterations to Queen Margaret Hall. The hall, which lies to the SE of St Michael's Church (off Blackness Road), is centred on NGR NT 00535 77313. The work (site code LL04) was undertaken on the 17th and 18th of May in good weather conditions. The requirement was to monitor any excavations undertaken during alterations to the hall. The work revealed that the area around St Margaret's hall was artificially made up in the 19th and 20th century, though these deposits were not bottomed. One of the deposits was found to contain a piece of re-deposited late medieval / early post-medieval pottery.

Alder Archaeology Ltd was commissioned by John H White Architects on behalf of Neil Wells to carry out a watching brief during the construction of a hotel at Ardgartan, Loch Long. The hotel is located behind the site of a youth hotel that was demolished in 2009. Apart from the site of Ardgartan Hall and an associated cottage (both demolished) and remains of a walled garden, no archaeological deposits were known on the site. However, it was thought possible that the alluvial fan on which the development lies may have been the focus for Prehistoric activity. The work was carried out over 8 days between the 8th and the 22nd of February 2010 in cold but sunny conditions. Various areas of topsoil stripping were observed including the locations for two haul roads, the hotel, a sewage treatment plant and the building for staff accommodation. No significant archaeology was revealed during this work, only services for the Youth Hostel.

Alder Archaeology was commissioned to undertake a watching brief on groundworks for a potato store at Middle Drums Farm located just to the S of Brechin. The site was considered archaeologically sensitive as the farm lay only 50m to the SW of a scheduled area containing ring ditches. The watching brief (Alder site code BR13) was carried out on 16 August 2010. Some demolition had taken place and an area measuring 40 X 16m was monitored during excavations for concrete bases for steel uprights along with slight ground reduction. The excavations and ground reduction revealed natural deposits in the form of solid rock, conglomerate, gravel and cobbles at the site surface. Parts of the foundations of a recently demolished building were recorded but nothing of archaeological significance was found. The lack of archaeological features was attributed to the fact that the site had been reduced to natural deposits for the erection of farm buildings in the 19th century

Alder Archaeology Ltd was commissioned to undertake an archaeological evaluation on a green field site at Muirpark Drive, Tranent, East Lothian (NGR NT 41500 72340), required in advance of residential development. The development site is in an area with nearby prehistoric sites and where coal mining has taken place since at least the late 17th century. The requirement was to evaluate 5% of the available area of 3.5ha. The evaluation, Alder site code TR01 took place during the period 26-28th April 2010. Twenty trenches were excavated and recorded. The trenches revealed modern ploughsoil over a thin layer of subsoil over mixed deposits of glacial till/boulder clay. Several phases of 19/20th century field drains were recorded dating the period of Agricultural Improvement. No archaeological evidence of any settlement or agricultural activity predating the insertion of the field drains was revealed and no significant finds were recovered. It appears that any evidence of such earlier activity, if indeed it had existed, must have been quite shallow and subsequently eradicated by modern ploughing.

Alder Archaeology Ltd carried out an archaeological evaluation (site code PL06) at Mill Glen, Baledmund Road, Moulin, on sloping garden ground centred on NN 94420 59340 in advance of residential development. The area was considered to have potential archaeological significance as it was situated in closed proximity to the village of Moulin thought to date from the Pictish Period. Four evaluation trenches, each measuring 20 X 2m were opened up over the 2500m² site, that is 6.4% of the available area. The trenches revealed fluvial-glacial deposits comprising gravels with a high content of medium-large stone, underlying, in places, a deep subsoil. The only archaeological features encountered were of modern date.