Infield sites

Easter Carwhin

The first survey season in March 2002 focused on the land division known historically as Easter Carwhin, building on earlier survey work by the Royal Commission on the Anicent and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS). It was designed to identify new sites and record previously known sites in greater detail. Teams were taught the systematic approach to walkover survey as well as how to interpret and record archaeological surface remains. Detailed surveys and excavations of three settlements were conducted at Croftvellich, Balnreich and Blarmore.

Survey of the Easter Carawhin township along the shores of Loch Tay
Easter Carawhin Survey PDF (3.97MB) [External Link]

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Croftvellich

Walkover survey identified the remains of structures shown on Farquarson's 1769 map which were located and recorded. Small scale excavation in 2002 revealed a robbed out building inside the kailyard.

During walkover survey in March 2002, a previously unidentified hut circle was discovered at Croftvellich.

In September 2002, the excavation targeted several sites that were surveyed during the initial survey field school of the project. This included the hut-circle, probably of prehistoric date, and the traces of a robbed-out building inside the kailyard. The results of the excavations showed an astonishing chronological range, with evidence of settlement in prehistory, the late Medieval period and the nineteenth century. Analysis of the metallurgical waste recovered from the hut circle revealed it as a fragment of metallurgical ceramics, most likely from a furnace where bog ore had been smelted. Samples recovered contained birch, hazel and oak. Radiocarbon dates recovered from the site dates it at 380-170 BC.

2002 excavation at the township of Easter Carawhin
Easter Carawhin Excavation PDF (1.93MB) [External Link]

Balnreich

In March 2002, a detailed survey was undertaken of the township of Balnreich, using an electronic survey instrument (or total station) to produce an accurate ground plan. Teams were also taught how to record standing buildings and used their newly aquired skills to make more sense of the development and phasing of the Balnreich remains.

Floor of the house at Balnreich during excavation, note millstone in foreground

The following summer at the township of Balnreich, excavation of one of the largest buildings showed it was a longhouse that had been substantially altered and expanded over several phases of occupation. A well-laid flagged floor covered the centre of the building, with a millstone set in it and a stone hearth to one side. Built into the back of the hearth were three heel plates from shoes, set in a row. There was a tradition of hiding shoes in buildings between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries in order to bring good luck. At one end of the house was a byre where cattle had been kept, although in a later phase it was used as a chicken coop.

In the deposits we excavated were hundreds of finds - including pieces of decorated pottery and glass, iron nails, window glass, clay pipes and a pair of spectacle lenses. The finds suggest that the house was occupied during the nineteenth century. The recovery of a copper alloy brooch, bearing a deer motif, may suggest associations with Clay Hay or the Lovat Scouts. Study of the archaeo-botanical samples from Balnreich has shone light on the types of timbers used in its construction. Birch, Ash, Scots Pine, Larch and Oak were all present.

2002 excavation at the township of Easter Carawhin
Easter Carawhin Excavation PDF (1.9 mb) [External Link]

Soils work was also carried out during the excavation. To learn more go to the Soil Analysis Report.

Blarmore

During the survey season at Blarmore traces of an earlier building were identified as possibly representing the remains of the House of Carwhin.

These remains,which were thought to represent those of a sixteenth-century laird's house, probably the seat of the Laird of Crannich. Although the building had been badly robbed, we found in-situ wall plaster, the impression of a timber floor, a large fireplace and roof slates, indicating this was relatively fine house for its time. Ash samples recovered from Blarmore provided radiocarbon dates between 1440 to 1640AD.

A sherd from a sweetmeat glass was recovered which dates from the mid nineteenth Century. This recovery of eighteenth century finer tableware is interesting, given that few traces of ceramic vessels are apparent.

2002 excavation at the township of Easter Carawhin
Easter Carawhin Excavation PDF (1.9 mb) [External Link]

Edramucky

In April 2003 a detailed survey of the remains of Edramucky Castle was conducted.

Edramucky is first recorded in the late 1600s, when Duncan of Edramucky and his son Colin acquired lands there. Duncan is believed to have murdered Sir James Campbell of Lawers, who was found dead after the two men had spent the evening drinking, although there is no record he was ever brought to trial. At Edramucky we recorded the remains of a corn-drying kiln, as well as what could be the traces of a small tower, Edramucky Castle.

April 2003 survey of the group of sheilings on the slopes of Meall Greigh and survey of the longhouse and tower house at Edramucky
Edramucky and Meall Greigh Survey PDF (2.11MB) [External Link]

Easter and Wester Tombreck

In April 2005 at Tombreck a different strategy was pursued with shovel test pits being utilised to discover concentrations of artefacts or structural remains that may indicate the location of an earlier settlement. Two sites were pursued using this technique: the first at Easter Tombreck, where radial test pits were used and the second at Wester Tombreck, were a grid pattern was pursued. In both cases no major concentrations were revealed, however structural remains for buried features were noted in both cases. The paucity of evidence for artefact concentrations away from the later buildings may be due to the aceramic nature of pre-nineteenth century settlement in the area and the fact that structures tended to be built of turf up until the end of the seventeenth century.

In May 2005 a structure was revealed within Trench 30. No evidence for an end wall to the north-east was visible and no entrance was encountered in either of the long walls. It is possible that the structure was used for industrial activity which would have generated a lot of heat. Further detail from the interior, which supports this interpretation included the presence of a possible quenching pit placed against the kailyard wall, together with quantities of slag.

In terms of date, the lack of ceramics from the floor of the structure, would seem to suggest a pre-nineteenthth century date for use of this building.

August/September 2005 Excavation at Tombreck & Kiltyrie
2005 Survey Shenlanerich, Tombreck & Kiltyrie (2.9 mb) [External Link]

Spring 2005 Survey and Sampling season at Shenlanrich, Tombreck & Kiltyrie
2005 Survey Shenlanerich, Tombreck & Kiltyrie (2.9 mb) [External Link]

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