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MHG28197 - Occupation site - Dornoch, Meadows Business Park

Summary

An occupation site in Dornoch with the earliest phase of activity dating to the C8th-C9th AD, with the second and main phase of activity in the C10th possibly extending into the C11th. The settlement and/or industrial activity was possibly Pictish or Norse.

Type and Period (6)

Protected Status

Full Description

A watching brief was undertaken initially by Resurgam! and then subsequently jointly with SUAT in 1997 on a site to the south of the former bishop's palace (now Bishops Hotel) on the south edge of the burgh of Dornoch. The watching brief, the first archaeological project to have been carried out in town, involved monitoring topsoil stripping and groundworks associated with development of a new business park and was carried out in late May. Cut into buried sand dunes were truncated remains of a substantial ditch, possibly of a defensive enclosure, numerous ditches forming enclosures and at least one building, pits and several hearth-like features, together with a large quantity of slag and burnt clay (including a tuyere), all sealed below a deep deposit of medieval cultivation soil. The watching brief on this site and searches by a local metal detectorist yielded a varied assemblage of medieval and post-medieval artefacts. Finds of medieval date include copper-alloy objects such as a small bell, a lobate stud or boss, a strap end and numerous other fittings. A bone pin beater fragment and several corroded iron artefacts were also recovered. Later material includes a number of buttons, an openwork brooch and several clay pipe fragments. Coins of James IV, James VI, Charles I and Charles II were also found. <1>

Later post excavation work and radiocarbon dating place the main period of activity here in the late 1st millenium AD, The evidence recovered also suggested a long traditon of ironworking from the early medieval period continuing through the medieval period. <2>

The results of the work were eventually published as SAIR Volume 28 in 2008. The radiocarbon dates obtained in association with the better understood stratigraphic relationships have allowed a basic sequence to be established. The earliest phase of activity seems to date to the 8th-9th centuries AD, with the second and main phase of activity in the 10th century possibly extending into the 11th century; there was one isolated feature dating to the 15th century. The settlement and/or industrial activity is possibly Pictish or Norse. <3>

See link below also to Scottish Radiocarbon Database for radiocarbon results.

An archaeological trial trenching evaluation was carried out by Highland Archaeology Services in 2016 to the east of the features recorded in 1997 on a new site for UHI student accommodation. The the works highlighted the potential for buried archaeological remains and it was recommended that the area be subject to excavation. <4>

The subsequent excavation and watching brief were carried out by AOC Archaeology Group in 2016. Several pits, a shell midden and a shallow ditch were identified and excavated. A large amount of modern disturbance was encountered across the site. The results showed that the truncated remains formed a continuation of the 9th-11th century features excavated in 1997. Post-excavation work showed that the early medieval occupation was partly sealed below a shellfish midden layer, containing predominantly cockle shell. Most of the 2016 features represented the eastern edge of a 9th-10th century structure overlain by a later enclosure ditch. The predominance of cattle, dog and sheep/goat, cockle shell and hulled barley and oat on the site represented the same type of material recovered in 1997. The analysis suggested that the midden waste represented a mainly meat-based economy alongside small scale shellfish exploitation, while the 1997 results also indicated that improved agricultural practices were taking place on a site of more marginal land. Later features on the site included the remains of a calf burial of unknown date. <5>

Sources/Archives (5)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 7972 8953 (103m by 47m) Indicative centroid
Map sheet	NH78NE
Geographical Area	SUTHERLAND
Civil Parish	DORNOCH

Finds (19)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Investigations/Events (3)

External Links (3)