CFA Archaeology Ltd unpublished report series

An upstanding building survey and archaeological evaluation was undertaken prior to the conversion of Wester Dalmeny farmstead into a series of modern dwellings. The building survey identified five phases in the farm development. The steading was constructed in 1827 based on a formal plan incorporating two quadrangles around two central courtyards. A hexagonal horse-engine located on the south side of the steading was in operation at this time. By the late 19th century a steam engine and boiler house replaced this. Later phases included the construction of a free-standing byre and the demolition of the eastern range. The final phase included the incorporation of a grain drying facility. The archaeological evaluation discovered a numbers of possible pits and ditches and recovered sherds of late medieval pottery. A subsequent watching brief in the area to the south of the upstanding steading discovered late- or early post-medieval building remains. The structural remains comprised at least two adjoining buildings defined by vestigial walls extensively robbed of their larger stone component, a beaten earth floor deposit containing two hearth settings and cobbled surfaces incorporating drainage features. Green glazed pottery was recovered along with quantities of glass, iron objects, iron working slag, bone and shell.

An area, 28m x 24m was fully excavated. A small number of features were revealed, though their date and function was unclear, they may have been medieval. A shallow linear ditched feature, (context 005) may have been the remains of a former field boundary or a beam slot. Three small pits were found (contexts 010, 014 and 016), which did not appear to form any pattern and did not contain any datable material apart from one piece of bottle glass from the fill of feature 010. [Au(adp)]

An archaeological evaluation was carried out and a total of six trenches were excavated which uncovered 21 linear features and one sub-rectangular pit. Material recovered in eight of the ten features indicated that it was a field system dating to the Roman period. The large linear anomaly identified by the geophysical survey as running along the north-west boundary of the proposed development was a ditch, possibly relating to the former canal, or was part of the vallum ditch associated with Hadrian's Wall. [Au(adp)]

An archaeological desk-based assessment, evaluation and subsequent watching brief were carried out in advance of the construction of new 6th form boarders' accommodation at Merchiston Castle School, Colinton, Edinburgh. The desk-based assessment revealed that the application area had been farming land and then became part of the ornamental grounds of Colinton House. The school buildings began to be built in the late 1920s. An evaluation of 11% of the area available for trenching resulted in 325m² of trenching. The trenches revealed no finds or features of archaeological significance, except for traces of rig and furrow aligned north-east to south-west, identified in Trenches 4, 5 and 6. The watching brief did not reveal any archaeological remains

An archaeological desk-based assessment and evaluation were carried out in advance of the construction of a new housing development at New Hunterfield, Gorebridge. The desk-based assessment showed that the site lay in an area of high archaeological potential with several sites within a 1km radius. A circular cropmark was identified by David Connolly, Assistant Archaeological Officer for East Lothian Council, on an aerial photograph of the north end of the site. Two evaluation trenches were excavated in order to ascertain the nature of the cropmark. The evaluation found no trace of archaeological remains other than field drains.

A programme of archaeological mitigation was undertaken at Lochelbank Wind Farm between 2008 and 2011. Two archaeological trial trenches were excavated across the line of the Wallace Road in order to determine the methods used in its construction. Sections of the Wallace Road had been upgraded using modern hardcore, but there was no evidence of its original surface. This would suggest that it had never been anything more than a beaten earth track. Cairn Geddes, a scheduled monument, was fenced off with a 10m buffer beyond the edge of the scheduled area. The post-felling walkover survey in Hill Wood to the west of Lochelbank Hill identified the remains of a previously recorded quarry. The recorded locations of kale yards and clearance cairns were visited but no remains were identified. A trackway known as Cadger Road possibly followed the route of an existing forestry access track running through the plantation. No other remains were identified in the felled areas.

A series of Scheduled Monument Consents (SMCs A-E) have been granted by Historic Scotland for this work. SMC A; Foundations and Utilities on the Esplanade. These works revealed part of the Spur, a triangular artillery fortification built in the 1540s and demolished in 1650. Part of a second boundary-type wall was revealed to the north-east of the Spur and this overlay an infilled ditch. The corner of a building was revealed at the eastern end of the Esplanade. All of these remains may be shown on an Edinburgh plan drawn by Gordon of Rothiemay in 1647. At the top of Castle Wynd Steps, a massively built stone plinth may have been a part of the Esplanade wall but was demolished prior to 1780. SMC B; Scottish Horse and North Esplanade Wall The Scottish Horse Monument was dismantled and re-erected on a new abutment projecting from the North Esplanade Wall. A photographic survey of the wall was carried out. SMC D; Earl Haig The statue of Earl Haig and its stone plinth were moved from the Esplanade to Hospital Square. Excavations in Hospital Square revealed the wall of the 1748-54 powder magazine and the blast wall to the east. SMC E; Off-Esplanade Utilities Work took place in Princes Street Gardens, in the Moat Vault, in the Coal Yard and on the steep grass slope between the South Esplanade Wall and Johnston Terrace. Walls were recorded prior to them being punctured for pipes/ducts. No archaeological remains were recorded in Princes Street Gardens. In the Moat Vault, plinths associated with former arched vaults were recorded. In the Coal Yard, a buried wall was recorded. Between the South Esplanade Wall and Johnston Terrace, a stone revetment was recorded. Non-SMC work took place in Castlehill, Ramsay Lane and Mound Place. In Ramsay Lane, the foundations of what may be tenement buildings were recorded and to the north, part of a culvert drain.

An archaeological watching brief and monitored topsoil strip carried out during groundworks for a gas pipeline identified nine archaeological sites, five of which are believed to relate to 19th century agricultural improvements. The remaining sites consisted of two concentrations of four pits, an isolated pit and a spread of shattered limestone situated close to a small watercourse. The shattered limestone appeared to be fire-cracked and may be the remains of a burnt mound. The pits did not contain any datable material, but soil samples were retained for analysis.