Highland Archaeology Services Ltd
Watching Brief
Lighting Cabling Hilton of Cadboll Chapel Site
7 Duke Street Cromarty Ross-shire IV11 8YH Tel: 01381 600491 Fax: 07075 055074 Mobile: 07834 693378 Email: [email protected] Web: www.hi-arch.co.uk VAT No. 838 7358 80 Registered in Scotland no. 262144 Registered Office: 10 Knockbreck Street, Tain, Ross-shire IV19 1BJ
Hilton of Cadboll Cabling (Watching Brief): Report May 2006
Watching Brief
Lighting Cabling Hilton of Cadboll Chapel Site
Report No. HAS060504
Client Historic Hilton Trust
Date 1 May 2006
Authors Mary Peteranna and John Wood
Summary
Cabling for lighting the new Hilton of Cadboll stone carved by Barry Grove required some excavations within the Guardianship area of the Hilton of Cadboll Chapel site. This was subject to a watching brief carried out on 13 March 2006. No archaeological evidence was found, this being an area believed to have been within the trench excavated by GUARD in 2001.
No further archaeological work is recommended.
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Contents
Summary...... 2 Figures ...... 3 Acknowledgements ...... 3 Introduction ...... 4 Location...... 4 Site details and archaeological background...... 5 Aims and objectives...... 5 Programme ...... 6 Desk Based Assessment...... 6 Watching Brief ...... 6 Trench 1...... 7 Trench 2...... 8 Results ...... 8 Recommendations ...... 8 Photograph Index...... 9
Figures
Cover Trenches and new Hilton Stone from Camera Point 5 (Fuse Box)
Figure 1 Site Location ...... 4 Figure 2 Trench Plan (approx)...... 6 Figure 3 Trench 1 from power connection end (CP 2)...... 7 Figure 4 Trench 2 from the Stone (CP1) ...... 8
Acknowledgements
The fieldwork was undertaken by Mary Peteranna for Highland Archaeology Services Ltd. We would like to thank Will Aitken for his assistance.
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Introduction
A watching brief was carried out on 13 March 2006 by Highland Archaeology Services Ltd on behalf of the Historic Hilton Trust, the site’s owners, at the Hilton of Cadboll Chapel site.
The purpose of the work was to identify and record the nature and extent of any archaeological features revealed or affected by the installation of cables for lighting the new Hilton of Cadboll stone created by Barry Grove. The work was carried out in line with Historic Scotland’s and the Highland Council’s policies.
Location
The site is centred approximately at Ordnance Survey National Grid Reference NH 872 768 (GB Grid). It is in the Guardianship of Historic Scotland.
Figure 1 Site Location Mapping reproduced by permission of the Ordnance Survey: Licence 100043217
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Site details and archaeological background
The cabling required the excavation of two small, shallow trenches within the Hilton of Cadboll chapel site, which is in the Guardianship of Historic Scotland. The site is best known as the original location of the Hilton of Cadboll Class 2 Pictish cross-slab. Archaeological work at the site has revealed that this broke off at ground level shortly after it was set up in the 8th or 9th century AD and was re-erected nearby soon afterwards.
The stone then stood until the mid 17th century when it was cut off at ground level to make a gravestone for Alexander Duff. However, although the design of the cross side was removed and an inscription cut, the stone was apparently never used as a gravestone and instead remained lying at the site. In the 18th century it was moved into a shed at the end of the ruined chapel. Later in the 19th century it was set up beside the drive to Invergordon Castle, and in the 20th it was given to the British Museum in London, from where it was taken to Edinburgh. It is now an important exhibit in the new National Museum of Scotland.
The section left buried in the Pictish period was discovered in 2001 during excavations by Glasgow University. It is now on display in the new Seaboard Hall.
A new version of the stone has been carved over the last ten years and set up at the original site. This was carved by the sculptor Barry Grove based on the best scholarship available at the time. This remarkable achievement provides the visitor with an excellent understanding of what the original might have looked like had it survived intact, and gives an excellent idea of the contribution of this standing stone to the historic landscape.
As a final stage in the project to create the new stone, the Historic Hilton Trust, owners of the site, wished to install lighting. This required two shallow trenches to be cut for cables, subject to the watching brief reported on here. However, it seems that the cabling took place entirely within the area excavated in 2001.
Aims and objectives
The aim of the programme was to minimise any possible delay or cost to the cabling work by anticipating archaeological requirements as far as possible, timetabling and integrating archaeological recording work with the project, and dealing with any issues arising quickly and efficiently.
The objective was to determine as far as possible the character, extent, condition, date and significance of any archaeologically significant remains; and to preserve these where possible and record where necessary in line with the Highland Council’s Structure Plan, NPPG 5 and PAN 42.
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Programme
Desk Based Assessment
No specific desk assessment was carried out for this project, but the site has been the subject of considerable documentary and archaeological research in recent years.
Watching Brief
The surface of the site was first examined and 16 small white-glazed sherds were collected. These are all of 20th century date and have not been illustrated here. Two trenches were then cut with a small back-acting mechanical excavator fitted with a straight-edged ditching bucket, working under the direct archaeological supervision of Mary Peteranna on behalf of the writer. They were then selectively hand-cleaned using hoes and / or trowels as appropriate to clarify any archaeological features. The trenches were less than 200mm deep throughout.
Figure 2 Trench Plan (approx) Camera points shown as green circles.
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Trench 1
This trench was 9.15m long, leading from the existing nearby power supply to the fuse box. There were no finds or features of archaeological importance. A number of flat stones near the chapel end did not appear to have a structure and were interpreted as re-deposited rubble.
Figure 3 Trench 1 from power connection end (CP 2)
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Trench 2
This trench was 5.26m long, leading from the fuse box to the lighting fixed at the base of the monument. It joined Trench 1 at 5.85m chainage from the fuse box.
Figure 4 Trench 2 from the Stone (CP1)
Results
No significant archaeological finds or features were recorded. It seems that the area of the trenches was wholly contained within the backfilled area of the 2001 excavation trench.
No human remains were encountered. Palaeo-environmental sampling was not undertaken.
The weather was cloudy with a cold wind and intermittent rain.
Recommendations
No trenches contained archaeologically significant features, and no further archaeological work is recommended in connection with the lighting work.
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Photograph Index
All photography was digital at a minimum resolution of 6 mpx and digital copies (JPEGs) of all photographs are included on the CDROM accompanying this report. The camera location and direction of each photograph taken has been plotted on the trench plan (See Fig 2).
Hilton Stone Lighting: Photograph Index Camera Taken Photo no. Location Notes by Date HOC06-CP1 CP1 Trench 1 - View E JW 13/03/2006 HOC06-CP2 CP2 View NE JW 13/03/2006 HOC06-CP3 CP3 Trench 2 -View WNW JW 13/03/2006 HOC06-CP4 CP4 View S JW 13/03/2006 HOC06-CP5 CP5 Trench 1 - view SW from Fuse Box JW 13/03/2006
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