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MHG58765 - Embankment - Aviemore

Summary

A linear embankment thought to be the remains of a temporary loading siding, attached to the nearby railway main line, which was in use during World War II.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

A evaluation was undertaken by AOC Archaeology Group on a proposed school development in Aviemore in 2011. Prior to trenching starting it was obvious that there was a large unnatural looking embankment extending into the development area from the south-east corner of the site. It was about 35 m long and continued for more than that distance within the wood to the south-east. It stood at a little over 1.0 m high with a width of between 4.0 and 7.0 m. The profile was basically sloping sides with a metre or two of wide flattened top though the combined workings of tree roots and animal burrows had damaged the profile in numerous places making it difficult to be entirely confident of the overall original form.
A section through the embankment, in Trench 5, showed it to be of very simple construction, made from dumped topsoil and then redeposited natural sands and gravels. It is thought to be the remains of a temporary loading siding, attached to the nearby railway main line, which was in use during World War II for the transport of locally felled timber for the war effort. AOC Archaeology was informed of this by a local resident, who was a child at the time remembered the area being locally referred to as ‘the loads’ in reference to its use as a loading area. <1>

Sources/Archives (1)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 8983 1327 (12m by 47m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH81SE
Civil Parish	DUTHIL AND ROTHIEMURCHUS
Geographical Area	BADENOCH AND STRATHSPEY

Finds (0)

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Related Investigations/Events (1)

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