EHG4402 - DBA and walkover survey - New House Site at 8 Hallin Park, Waternish, Isle of Skye

A desk-based assessment and walkover survey were carried out by West Coast Archaeological Services in July 2014 in advance of construction of a new house, access road and services at 8 Hallin Park, Waternish, Isle of Skye. The work was undertaken to assess the nature and extent of any archaeology likely to be directly affected by the proposed development in order to inform recommendations for the protection and management of any sites identified. The dense vegetation coverage of grasses and bracken caused significant trouble in identifying and recording archaeological sites on the ground. As a result, sketch plans and detailed photographs of the sites were not feasible. Archaeological sites were recorded using a Trimble Geo-XR Rover, rated to centimetre accuracy, on a Windows mobile-based computer. A detailed topographic survey of the site was also conducted. Nineteen archaeological sites, seven of which will be impacted by the current development layout, which relate to multiple phases of settlement, mostly post-medieval, on the site. were recorded. A drainage ditch and fenceline were also recorded. It was recommended that a trial trench evaluation and archaeological watching brief be carried out on the sites to be impacted by the development. <1>