EHG5620 - Evaluation - road improvements Staffin Harbour and slipway

An archaeological evaluation was carried out by AOC Archaeology Group in 2022, commissioned by the Staffin Community Trust, in advance of works to improve the slipway road to Staffin harbour and development at the harbour itself in Staffin, Isle of Skye. The slipway road runs northeast from the A855, rounding An Corran and proceeding southeast to Staffin Harbour. The proposed improvement works include the expansion of existing passing places, road widening and parking areas. The harbour development works will also entail additional groundworks and require the removal of existing post-medieval boat naust structures. The immediate landscape forms part of an archaeologically rich landscape, containing multiperiod prehistoric sites alongside post-medieval settlement. In particular, significant Mesolithic remains have been found with the area for the proposed road improvement works. A test pit evaluation was conducted in order to assess the archaeological potential of 16 work areas proposed for expansion; and measured survey and photographic recording undertaken of the naust structures. The evaluation comprised the hand excavation of 16 test pits and 11 shovel pits across the development areas. Evidence for the manufacturing of prehistoric stone tools, likely Mesolithic in date and including lithics, possible coarse stone tools, and raw stone material were recovered from several of these areas, predominantly between the southwest-northeast stretch of the slipway road. Most of the material appeared out of its original context, however there were two instances of possible in situ archaeological deposits. A further programme of fieldwork and post-excavation is recommended. <1> For subsequent watching brief see EHG5621.