EHG5617 - Watching brief - proposed care home, Fortrose

An archaeological watching brief was carried out by AOC Archaeology Group in 2019 on Ness Road in Fortrose, Inverness-shire, in advance of the construction of a 40-bed care home and associated infrastructure. During December 2018, an archaeological evaluation conducted by AOC Archaeology (see EHG5511) identified ten archaeological features. Due to the site containing the potential for further archaeological remains, a watching brief was required during site clearance. Fifteen archaeological features were identified. These predominantly comprised truncated pit features, including probable prehistoric pits, the degraded remnants of a possible structure, and a spread of later features probably related to post-medieval agricultural activity. A programme of post-excavation analyses was carried out, including environmental processing and specialist find analysis. The majority of the artefacts recovered were post-medieval in date and comprised ceramics, clay pipe fragments, bottle glass and an iron nail. There was some evidence to suggest that the prehistoric activity may include the remnants of a possible oak-built structure, however these remains have been highly truncated and dating is uncertain. <1>