EHG6201 - Watching brief - GI test pits, new house plot, Gaza, Portmahomack

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Avon Archaeology (Highland) in 2021 during preliminary groundworks (GI test pits) for a new dwelling and associated services at a site located 20m northeast of Eversley Cottage, Gaza Back Street, Portmahomack. The project was designed to identify, record and characterise all significant archaeological deposits, features and finds revealed during the course of preliminary ground works for the development build, in particular buried remains associated with medieval settlement-related activity, nationally important remains of which are recorded c 220 m to the southeast of the site in the area of Tarbet West Church. The watching brief on four geotechnical test pits recorded a relatively uniform sequence of deposits comprising a variable but generally shallow topsoil (501) containing a variety of modern debris, which in turn overlay a more extensive buried topsoil/subsoil (502) and a natural substrate of largely undisturbed windblown sand containing occasional gravels. No significant archaeological deposits, features or finds were revealed. <1> A second phase of watching brief was undertaken in 2024 (see EHG6202).