Series: AOC Archaeology unpublished report series

The watching brief was conducted on 11 trenches which included underpinning pits; lift pit, manholes and drainage works. Natural terrace gravels and sand were observed in all excavated trenches, many indicating banding which suggests undisturbed deposits. Only a single possible pit was recorded and has been interpreted as being post medieval in date. The footings of the current building were also exposed during the works. No significant archaeological features were recorded on site.

AOC Archaeology Group were commisioned to under take an archaeological watching brief on the removal of hard standing followed by evaluation trenching on a site due to undergo development within Airdrie. The works were required due to the sites location being in the historic core of the town. The archaeological works showed that made ground existed directly above the natural clay over the whole site. However the remains of 19th century building foundations were located at the eastern end of the site where minermal modern development had occured. These remains existed within the natural clay and can be traced on the 19th century maps of the area such as the 1st edition OS map. E Hindmarch 2008

AOC completed a two day watching brief on ground works associated with an extension to 'Thameside', Sutton Road, Cookham. A series of undated alluvial deposits were recorded, sealed with a late post medieval deposit. The investigation achieved its aims in establishing the absence of archaeological features in the foundation trenches associated with the proposed development.

The monitored topsoil strip was achieved through the removal of topsoil and overburden using a mechanical excavator equipped with a smooth bladed ditching bucket. The monitored topsoil strip was undertaken in shallow units/spits and all machine excavation was supervised by an experienced field archaeologist. A Monitored Topsoil Strip was undertaken on land to the north of 1 Lawfield Cottage, Whitehill, Dalkeith, Midlothian, (Planning Ref:22/00291/DPP) on the 29th May 2023. This work was undertaken prior to the construction of a residential extension and associated drive and garage. The topsoil strip revealed a deep, redeposited garden soil ranging from 0.30m to 0.70m in depth across the site. Numerous sherds of late 19th and 20th century ceramics were observed within the topsoil. The topsoil overlay a glacial till of sandy yellow clay with shattered sandstone. The strip revealed that the area of drive and garage had undergone significant prior truncation associated with the use of the area as a limestone quarry during the late 19th century. An area of demolition rubble was also observed in this area. This was associated with a possible Nissen Hut known to occupy the site until 1996. Signs of agricultural improvement were observed during the strip of the house extension in the form of several early 19th century rubble drains. No significant archaeological remains were identified during the archaeological works.

3 trench evaluation. Natural horizon is orange sandy gravels. 19th-20th century brick structures, likely to be associated to the demolished building on site. Heavily truncated.

An archaeological evaluation consisting of one machine excavated trench measuring 10m by 1.8m. The only feature encountered truncating natural clay deposits was a fibreglass lined soakaway which was cut through made ground and a layer of original topsoil.

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by AOC Archaeology Group at the site of 1 - 6 Watlington Street, Nettlebed,monitoring a programme of residential construction works. The sequence of deposits identified during the watching brief were of limited archaeological significance.The earliest archaeological feature encountered was a partial chalk lined well, with an unknown date of construction, although it is recorded as being backfilled during the late 18th to 20th century. Two brick lined wells/soakaways and part of a backfilled basement associated with the 19th century, were also identified.

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by AOC Archaeology Group on land previously occupied by warehouses and offices at 1-7 Baileyfield Crescent, Portobello, Edinburgh, during the excavation of a SUDS Pond. The SUDS Pond area was located to the immediate south of the Phase 2 excavation undertaken on the site of the Abercorn Brickworks in 2017. The SUDS Pond measured approximately 80m2 in area and its excavation removed around 2080m3 of made ground to a depth of around 5m. The watching brief revealed a made ground composed of ash, rubble and loose silty sand. Several small dumps of early 20th century glass, ceramics and bricks were observed. The made ground represents the infilling and levelling of the area during the late 19th and early 20th centuries with waste material from the surrounding industries. No structural remains associated with the Brick and Tile Works shown to exist within the area were observed.

The evaluation comprised the excavation of two trenches measuring 9.30m x 1.80m and 10.50m x 1.80m to depths of 1.50m and 1.00m, respectively. The evaluation was designed to provide information on the character, extent, date and state of preservation of any below ground archaeological remains that may be present within the development area. The natural mid brown sand horizon was encountered in both trenches and recorded at a height of between 60.90mOD and 61.05mOD. Both trenches suggested the natural horizon had been previously disturbed with significant truncation observed in Trench 1. The brick wall in Trench 2 is likely to relate to cartographic evidence from the 1897 OS map and is likely to represent part of the garden wall of Jubilee Cottages. The ceramic assemblage recovered from Trench 2 dates to the late 19th or early 20th century and is most likely related to later development of the site. The linear features in Trenches 1 and 2 could not be confidently dated due to truncation from later building work, most notably the foundations of the possible cellar in Trench 1, but these are likely to be early 20th century in date. They may represent further garden related features.

Two trench, one 5m and one 3m, evaluation.