EHG725 - Excavation - Tarradale, Cropmark Site near Muir of Ord

In 1986 aerial reconnaissance by the Moray Aerial Survey was extended west from the Moray littoral in order to examine the archaeological potential of the coast between the Beauly and Cromarty Firths. One significant result was the recognition of an extensive cropmark complex located at Tarradale, close to the head of the Beauly Firth, south of Muir of Ord. These cropmark sites are distributed along an elongated spur of Boyndie Series sands, which is defined on its eastern side by a small stream, while closer to the estuary a former channel of the River Beauly has cut a sharp scarp along its southern edge. Some 180m north-west of this agglomeration of archaeological sites, the sand spur rises to form a prominent saddle, which commands extensive vistas over the Firth. It was on this saddle that a further cropmark appeared, on several occasions, during the course of aerial reconnaissance over the Black Isle. This fragmentary mark suggests the presence of a substantial enclosure, the boundary of which was visible as an arc, or corner, following the north-easterly contours of the hill. It therefore appears likely that this boundary may have enclosed a substantial area, possibly up to c. 1.3 hectares. During the early 1990s G D B Jones of the University of Manchester undertook a series of test excavations on this putative enclosure to ascertain its possible date and function. There were three seasons of excavation, before insurmountable changes in the present agricultural regime brought a halt to the research programme. <1>