EHG1029 - Trial trenching - Wester Lairgs, Strathnairn

An archaeological evaluation was carried out by Headland Archaeology in 2003 at Wester Lairgs, Strathnairn, in advance of proposals for the extenion of the existing quarrty to the east and to test interpretations of features recognised on the basis of survey data. It was also undertaken to determine whether the features were of national importance or of lesser significance. Three trenches were hand-excavated across the features in question. The remains of a building had been interpreted variously as a post-medieval farmstead, or as an early medieval Pitcarmick-type building. A hand-excavated trench across the centre of the building recovered substantial quantities of artefacts associated with its occupation, none of which needed to be earlier than C19th in date. The building was identified as a farmstead that went out of use in the mid-C19th. Four cairns, originally thought to be field clearance cairns associated with prehistoric cultivation, had been indicated as possible Pictish burial cairns. Trenches excavated through two of these confirmed that they were clearance cairns. One produced no artefacts and therefore remained undated; the other contained finds indicating recent disturbance or modification, although the original construction of the cairn may have been significantly earlier. It was concluded that the features investigated were of local importance only. <1>