EHG5232 - Archaeological Test Pitting and Open Area Excavation - Cromarty Medieval Burgh Community Archaeology Project

Following on from work in 2013, excavation was continued at Reeds Park, Cromarty, in 2014, as part of the Cromarty Medieval Burgh Community Archaeology Project. The overall aim of the excavations for 2014 was twofold; to extend the excavation area to investigate further archaeological features and deposits that had been exposed and revealed during the pilot project in 2013, and to carry out trial trench excavations to ground-truth anomalies in the field located during the geophysical survey in 2013. This work produced evidence for a more detailed picture of the layout and phasing of the buildings along each side of Thief’s Row. This included the remains of three buildings shown on the 1880 Ordnance Survey map sheet on the north side of Thief’s Row, below which were identified the remains of at least one earlier structure dating to the 18th century. At the edge of the 2014 excavation area on the north side of the road, three medieval structures with their associated vennels and boundary walls were uncovered. The deposits associated with these structures produced ceramics of 13th to 15th century date. Along the south side of Thief’s Row, excavations uncovered extensive structures and deposits of medieval date (13th to 14th centuries) including the partially robbed-out walls of stone buildings and more ephemeral remains of wattle and daub structures, along with vennels, yards and boundary gullies. These areas of settlement and activities appear to have been abandoned relatively early in the history of the burgh. The excavations within the Reeds Park field continued to produce some spectacular results with regards to the settlement and economy of a small Scottish Burgh. <1>