EHG6492 - Watching brief - Sustainable Energy Centre, Castle Street, Inverness

An archaeological watching brief was carried out by AOC Archaeology Group in 2023-4 at Town House Carpark, Castle Street, Inverness in respect of ground-breaking works associated with the redevelopment of the Site for a sustainable energy centre. The excavations consisted predominately of demolition of a set of concrete stairs that provided access from Castle Street to Castle Wynd and were located next to a former public toilet block. Removal of the infill and modern material below the stairs revealed sections through the layers at the base of the castle hill, where a series of stratified layers and fragments of stone walls were exposed. The remains of a timber plank floor also survived on the interior of the toilet block building below the concrete floor. The walls and timber floor represented the remnants of 18th/19th century buildings that once lined the base of the castle hill along Castle Street. Underlying deposits contained some probable late medieval ceramic sherds and indicated the survival of earlier archaeological material in this area. No further excavations were required as part of the development. A programme of post-excavation work was recommended. <1>