EHG6045 - Trial trenching - Wag of Forse

Trial trenching was undertaken by The University of Aberdeen under the direction of G Noble in 2019 at The Wag of Forse, near Upper Latheron. The site is a Scheduled Monument and consent had been obtained for limited excavation to assess what remained from Curle’s excavations at the site in the late 1930s and 1940s. Two trenches were hand excavated. Trench 1 measured 5 x 4.3 m and was located in the northwestern half of aisled building/wag, Structure A. In the majority of the trench natural subsoil was rapidly reached under the modern overburden. Two small cut features and the hearth recorded by Curle was identified. The hearth had been left in situ (or portions of it) and possible relic floor deposits were found around the hearth on its west side and in the northeast corner of the building. Trench 2 measured 3 x 2 m and was located in the southern half of Structure C. Under the overburden the in situ central hearth recorded by Curle survived in situ along with floor layers extending to the south. There appeared to have been only minimal intervention by Curle into the floor layers. Both trenches suggested that very significant in situ deposits survived at the site. It was intended that additional work, also requiring Scheduled Monument Consent from HES, would be carried out the following year. <1>