EHG4445 - Geophysical survey - Stoneyfield House, Inverness

A geophysical survey was carried out by GUARD in 1993 on the proposed route of a sewage pipeline near Stoneyfield House to the east of Inverness beside the A96 as part of works for the Allanfearn Sewage Farm. Several fields near the sewage farm had already been surveyed in Jan-Feb of the same year (see EHG496). Cropmarks and fieldwalking finds in the area were highly suggestive of prehistoric activity. Three separate fields were examined as the aerial photographs did not cover the full area of potential impact while soil conditions in the area of the survey were not conducive to the formation of cropmarks. Twenty-five grids giving a coverage of 10,000m² were surveyed by gradiometer. Only Field 4 of the three surveyed (numbered sequentially from the first phase of survey at the sewage farm 4, 5 and 6) produced anomalies consistent wirth archaeological activity. It was recommended that the results be tested by excavation and that a programme of fieldwalking be carried out in field 6. <1>