Abernethy Old Kirk, Nethy Bridge, Grantown on Spey
Highland Archaeology Services Ltd Bringing the Past and Future Together
Abernethy Old Kirk, Nethy Bridge, Grantown on Spey
Desk-based Assessment and Watching Brief Report
2 Ross Lane, Tain, IV19 1GA Tel: 01862 892731 Mobile: 07715 817552 Email: [email protected] Web: www.hi-arch.co.uk Registered in Scotland no. 262144 Registered Office: 10 Knockbreck Street, Tain, Ross-shire IV19 1BJ VAT No. GB 838 7358 80
Abernethy Old Kirk, Nethy Bridge – Final Report November 2017
Abernethy Old Kirk, Nethy Bridge, Grantown on Spey
Desk-based Assessment and Watching Brief Report
Report No. AOK17-5
Site Code AOK17
Client Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks Planning Ref -
OS Grid Ref NJ 00608 21828
Date/ revision 07/12/2017
Author Emma Malone and Lynne McKeggie
Summary
Archaeological mitigation was required to minimise the heritage impact of a new 33kv underground electricity cable trench at Abernethy Old Kirk, Nethy Bridge, Grantown on Spey. The mitigation involved a Desk-based Assessment in advance of development work followed by a watching brief and recording during development ground work. The site lies in an area where it is possible that human interments were present alongside Abernethy Old Kirk Listed Building, and nearby to Castle Roy Scheduled Ancient Monument.
The Desk Based Assessment noted five sites close by including the Church and Castle as well as a brooch find and nearby bridge.
The watching brief was undertaken on the 23rd of November in snowy conditions. This monitored the whole length of new trench. No archaeologically significant remains were identified and no further work is recommended.
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Abernethy Old Kirk, Nethy Bridge – Final Report November 2017
Contents Summary ...... 2 Contents ...... 3 Illustrations ...... 3 Location and Background ...... 4 Legislation and Policy ...... 5 Archaeological Mitigation ...... 6 Desk-based assessment ...... 6 Historic Maps ...... 7 Statistical Accounts ...... 8 Watching Brief Methodology ...... 8 Results ...... 9 Conclusions and Recommendations ...... 9 Appendix 1 – Photo register ...... 11
Illustrations
Figure 1:General Site location ...... 4 Figure 2: Indicative Development Layout (as supplied by client) ...... 5 Figure 3: HER locations in the vicinity of the site...... 6 Figure 4: 25inch 1st Edition OS map with proposed trench overlay (not reproduced to scale) ...... 7 Figure 5: 6inch 1st Edition OS map published 1875 (not reproduced to scale) ...... 8 Figure 6: Showing trench fill composition (larger scale in 0.20m increments, smaller one in 0.10m) ...... 9 Figure 7: Post ex of overall trench...... 10 Figure 8: Plan showing camera point locations ...... 12
Tables Table 1: HER entries...... 7 Table 2: Photo Register ...... 11
Acknowledgements and Copyright
Background mapping has been reproduced by permission of the Ordnance Survey under Licence 100043217. The site layout plan is reproduced courtesy of the client.
The report’s author(s) and Highland Archaeology Services Ltd jointly retain copyright in all reports produced but will allow the client, Scottish and Southern Energy, and all other recipients to make the report available for reference and research (but not commercial) purposes, either on paper, or electronically, without additional charge, provided this copyright is acknowledged.
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Abernethy Old Kirk, Nethy Bridge – Final Report November 2017
Location and Background
The project site lies alongside Abernethy Old Kirk (Listed Building no.547) and is centred at approximately NGR NJ 006 218. The Kirk lies to the south west of Castle Roy (SM952) and north east of Nethy Bridge.
Figure 1: General Site location
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Abernethy Old Kirk, Nethy Bridge – Final Report November 2017
Figure 2: Indicative Development Layout (as supplied by client)
Legislation and Policy
The common principles underlying international conventions, national legislation and local authority planning policies are that cultural heritage assets should be identified in advance of development and safeguarded where practicable; if disturbance is unavoidable appropriate recording of features and recovery of portable artefacts should take place. These have been set out in international and European Union agreements, and UK and Scottish legislation, as well as national and local planning policies1.
Professional standards during the present project will be secured by adherence to the Codes of Conduct and Approved Practice and Standards of the Institute for Archaeologists and the Highland Council’s Standards for Archaeological Work.
1 A summary of relevant international, EU, UK and Scottish legislation and policies is available from the HAS office on request.
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Abernethy Old Kirk, Nethy Bridge – Final Report November 2017
Archaeological Mitigation A staged programme of archaeological mitigation was employed during the project, which was implemented both in advance of and during the development ground work stage in order to minimise the impact of intrusive works on heritage assets. The general order and methodology for each stage of the project was as follows:
• Examination of readily available documentary and cartographic sources for the site • Watching Brief and recording during development ground work • Post excavation reporting and preparation of the Data Structure Report • Preparation of the project archive
Desk-based assessment Readily available documentary and cartographic sources for the site were examined and reviewed in advance of project fieldwork in order to identify significant recorded monuments, areas, sites and find locations in the vicinity of the development area. (In accordance with the guidelines set out in the Highland Council’s published Standards for Archaeological Work 20122). The findings are detailed n the illustration and table below.
Figure 3: HER locations in the vicinity of the site.
2 Downloadable from http://www.highland.gov.uk/meetings/meeting/1033/planning_environment_and_development/attachment/19663
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Abernethy Old Kirk, Nethy Bridge – Final Report November 2017
Table 1: HER entries DBA Grid HER Canmore Description ID Reference Reference Reference
DBA1 NJ 0065 2192 MHG4571 15715 Scheduled Monument 952: Castle Roy - 11th Century Castle built by the Clan Comyn on a small glacial mound to the north of the modern village of Nethy Bridge
DBA2 NJ 0061 2180 MHG31429 109001 Abernethy Old Parish Church & Burial Ground (Church of Scotland)
DBA3 NJ 0070 2190 MHG36677 181899 A 17th-century Highland brooch pin bearing incised decoration along the edge was found while metal- detecting
DBA4 NJ 0097 2166 MHG50071 284952 Mill and lade situated on the N bank of the Allt Mor
DBA5 NJ 0048 2155 MHG15419 109002 Early 19th Century stone bridge, Single Span. C- Listed
Historic Maps The project area was cross-referenced with old map sources from the National Library of Scotland’s online database. The following maps were researched:
• Inverness-shire (Mainland), Sheet XLVI. 6 inch to the mile. Survey date: 1867-71 Publication date: 1875 • Inverness Mainland Sheet XLVI.12. 25inch to the mile. Survey date: 1867 Publication date: 1875
No indication of any other upstanding archaeological remains or historic buildings were found out with the previously mentioned HER entries.
Figure 4: 25inch 1st Edition OS map with proposed trench overlay (not reproduced to scale)
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Abernethy Old Kirk, Nethy Bridge – Final Report November 2017
Figure 5: 6inch 1st Edition OS map published 1875 (not reproduced to scale)
Statistical Accounts
Both the New and Old Statistical accounts were investigated (see below) to see if any relevant information could be sourced relating to the evaluation area. No applicable information was discovered.
• Abernethy and Kinchardine, County of Inverness, OSA, Vol. XIII, 1794 (Rev. Mr. John Grant) • Abernethy, County of Elgin, NSA, Vol. XIII, 1845 (Rev. Donald Martin)
Watching Brief Methodology
All ground works undertaken for the laying of the new underground cable were subject to archaeological watching brief. The trench as excavated was 37m long, up to 750mm deep and 300mm wide. Archaeological intervention was restricted to the minimum level necessary to allow the excavation of the cable trench. Work commenced on the 23rd November in heavy snow and relatively low light.
A back-acting mechanical excavator was used equipped with a flat-bladed ditching bucket to enable a clean scrape of the natural substrate. The depth of the trench varied between 0.7m and 0.75m. Photographs were taken using a Pentax digital SLR camera, with the camera location points plotted using a Thales Mobile-mapper GPS unit.
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Abernethy Old Kirk, Nethy Bridge – Final Report November 2017
Results The following deposits were revealed in the trench:
Context 01 – Natural Substrate; mid orangey-yellow medium/firm compacted silty medium-coarse sand, frequent medium sized <0.15m sub-angular and angular stones. Friable. At the western terminus of the trench the natural substrate was located approximately 0.65m below (See figure 6). As the trench made its easterly route towards the grave yard entrance the natural substrate became lower and lower until eventually the required depth of the SSE trench did not reach it.
Context 02 – Topsoil; mottled greyish brown and grey clayey silt mixed with sandy redeposited natural pockets, friable, with frequent small rounded pebble and medium sized <0.18m sub-angular stone and occasional charcoal fleck inclusions. Medium/loose compaction, representing an episode of landscaping and levelling in preparation for use as a burial ground (see figure 7).
No artefacts or ecofacts were found. No archaeological features were uncovered.
Conclusions and Recommendations
The area in which the trench was excavated lies to the north of the existing church, graveyard and associated original boundary wall. This newer addition to the church grounds houses the more recent post-war graves and has clearly been subject to heavily landscaping as was made evident when excavating the trench. This can be attributed to most logically, a period of landscaping when the ground was acquired in preparation for the new burials. No archaeological deposits or finds were uncovered, the area had been subject to heavy landscaping and the chance of archaeological deposits surviving in context were minimal. No further archaeological mitigation in necessary,
Figure 6: Showing trench fill composition (larger scale in 0.20m increments, smaller one in 0.10m)
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Abernethy Old Kirk, Nethy Bridge – Final Report November 2017
Figure 7: The trench after excavation (scales 1m and 500mm)
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Abernethy Old Kirk, Nethy Bridge – Final Report November 2017
Appendix 1 – Photograph Register
Table 2: Photograph Register
Photo Camera Description Direction ID Point (facing) 01 1 Site over-view pre-ex West 02 1 Site over-view pre-ex West 03 2 Site over-view pre-ex East 04 3 Cable trench post-ex East 05 3 Cable trench post-ex East 06 4 Cable trench post-ex West 07 4 Cable trench post-ex West 08 3 Cable trench post-ex in section South 09 5 Cable trench post-ex West 10 6 Cable trench post-ex West 11 7 Cable trench post-ex West 12 8 Cable trench post-ex in section south 13 9 Cable trench post-ex West 14 10 Cable trench post-ex West 15 11 Cable trench post-ex West 16 11 Cable trench post-ex West 17 12 Cable trench post-ex West 18 13 Cable trench post-ex West 19 13 Cable trench post-ex West 20 14 Cable trench post-ex West 21 14 Cable trench post-ex West 22 15 Cable trench post-ex West 23 15 Cable trench post-ex West 24 16 Cable trench post-ex West 25 16 Cable trench post-ex West
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Abernethy Old Kirk, Nethy Bridge – Final Report November 2017
Figure 8: Plan showing camera point locations
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