EHG5693 - Trial trenching - proposed new Culloden Academy

A trial trenching evaluation was undertaken by Highland Archaeology Services in 2022 in advance of the development of the new Culloden Academy, adjacent to the current Culloden Academy, Highland. This work was carried out in an area noted to contain a possible enclosure identified in crop marks (see MHG35544). The New Culloden Academy is to be constructed in an area just out with the designated battlefield at Culloden, as well as the designed landscape of Culloden House. As such these works were designed to inform the pre-application design stage process of the New Academy and may impact both the design and final mitigation works to be proposed. During the excavation of the twenty-four trenches, six revealed possible archaeological features and material. These comprised of six burnt pits, one possible posthole or small pit and a large ditch containing burnt material located in the area that was noted for cropmarks. These features were not confined to one area during the evaluation but were scattered throughout the field. This may indicate that further archaeological material may survive throughout this field. Recommendations for further mitigation were provided. <1>