EHG4159 - Watching brief and walkover survey - proposed Western Link Road, Inverness

A watching brief was undertaken by RoCAS in 2012-13 on behalf of Capita Symonds during ground investigations ahead of construction of the Inverness West Link Road on the southwest side of Inverness. The watching brief was a requirement from the Highland Council Planning Department during the digging of trial pits along the proposed route in order to check for any archaeological material. A survey of the route of the proposed road preceded the digging of twenty trial pits and inspection pits ahead of four boreholes on the Caledonian Canal which were archaeologically monitored. One of the pits, TP 12/07, was not excavated due to difficulties with the landowner. This section of ground was, however, covered during the prior walkover survey. The pits measured between 2-3m long by 1-1.2m wide. Following excavation to the subsoil, the pit was dug to a depth required by the geotechnical engineer to allow for collection of environmental samples. No archaeological features were recorded and no archaeological finds were recovered within the trial pits or borehole inspection pits. Fifteen finds of interest were recovered from the ploughsoil from fieldwalking during the watching brief at the southwest end of the route. <1>