EHG5863 - Watching brief - proposed holiday lodges - Keiss
Technique(s)
Organisation
Highland Archaeology Services Ltd
Date
Nov 2020-May 2021
Description
A watching brief and associated work were undertaken by Highland Archaeology Servivces in 2020-21 to monitor works as part of a development at Keiss Harbor, Caithness. This was in accordance with the requirements of planning consent during preliminary groundworks for the construction of a cabin, four holiday Pods and associated services on land to the east of the harbour. Further watching will be undertaken for the cabin area at a later date. Fieldwork was undertaken in three phases. The first covering the Pods area between the 30th of November and the 2nd of December 2020 the second on the 8th to the 9th of December 2020 covering the new passing place, further work in the pods area and the deep excavation for the retaining wall on the seashore. Finally, the new service run and areas a, b and c were watched on the 4th and 5th of May 2021. During the excavation of the pods area to the east of the site a large dump of midden material (including shell, animal bone and some artefacts) was encountered spread over the slope of the raised beach on the inland side of the site. These deposits were recorded and sampled and a portion left in situ. In addition, the footings of a dry stone wall and a stone built bank of the burn running between the road and pods area were noted and recorded. It seems likely that the midden relates to the known structures located just off the site to the north west (see MHG1656). As these structures were excavated in the 1890s it is possible that the material found was spoil rather than a midden contemporary with the buildings’ use. Recommendations were made for further analysis of the deposits and material discovered, including botanical analysis, bone analysis and radio-carbon dating . <1>
Sources/Archives (1)
Location
Location | Keiss |
---|---|
Grid reference | Centred ND 3523 6097 (142m by 96m) (2 map features) |
Map sheet | ND36SE |
Operational Area | CAITHNESS SUTHERLAND AND EASTER ROSS |
Civil Parish | WICK |
Geographical Area | CAITHNESS |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
External Links (0)
Record last edited
Aug 29 2022 4:50PM