Balnacoil Mast Watching Brief July 2017 Highland Archaeology Services Ltd Bringing the Past and Future Together Balnacoil Mast Archaeological Watching Brief 1 Balnacoil Mast Watching Brief July 2017 Balnacoil Mast Archaeological Watching Brief Report No. BAL17/1 Site Code BAL17 Client Highland Council Planning Ref 16/04694/FUL OS Grid Refs NC81272 11420 Date/ 10/07/2017 revision Authors Stuart Farrell and Pete Higgins Summary An archaeological watching brief was undertaken to fulfil a planning condition on the erection of a telecommunication mast and associated access track on Balnacoil Hill, near Brora, Sutherland. Micro-siting of the track is recommended enabled features identified in a walkover survey to be avoided, so no archaeological deposits were found 2 Balnacoil Mast Watching Brief July 2017 Contents Summary ....................................................................................................................................................... 2 Contents ........................................................................................................................................................ 3 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................................... 3 Aims and objectives ...................................................................................................................................... 4 Legislation and Policy ................................................................................................................................... 4 Location and scope ....................................................................................................................................... 4 Desk based assessment and walkover survey ............................................................................................... 6 Fieldwork ...................................................................................................................................................... 7 Discussion and Recommendations................................................................................................................ 8 Appendix 1: Photographs ............................................................................................................................ 10 Illustrations Figure 1 Project location (not reproduced to scale) ..................................................................................... 4 Figure 2 Project layout .................................................................................................................................. 5 Figure 3 Area of watching brief (shaded) with route of track and locations of clearance cairns (cc) and large cairn (Cairn). ........................................................................................................................................ 6 Figure 4 Track excavation in progress. Photograph 7................................................................................. 8 Figure 5 Compound area excavated. Photograph 31 .................................................................................. 9 Figure 6 Watching brief area and camera points ....................................................................................... 10 Acknowledgements Fieldwork was carried out by Stuart Farrell. This report was edited by Pete Higgins. Background mapping has been reproduced by permission of the Ordnance Survey under Licence 100043217. Historic mapping is courtesy of the National Library of Scotland. 3 Balnacoil Mast Watching Brief July 2017 Aims and objectives • To minimise any possible delay or cost to the development 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. • To determine as far as possible the character, extent, condition, date and significance of any archaeologically significant remains; and to record these where necessary in line with national and local policies and standards. 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 were secured by adherence to the Codes of Conduct and Approved Practice and Standards of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists and the Highland Council’s published Standards for Archaeological Work. Location and scope The development area is located on Balnacoil Hill, centred at NGR 281272 911420. Figure 1 Project location (not reproduced to scale) 1 A full statement of current legislation and public policy is available from the Highland Archaeology Services office on request 4 Balnacoil Mast Watching Brief July 2017 Figure 2 Project layout 5 Balnacoil Mast Watching Brief July 2017 Desk based assessment and walkover survey A desk based assessment and walkover2 survey found that for the majority of its route the proposed access track did not lie near any significant features. However, where it approached the cairnfield fo (DBA10) it crossed the location of several cairns. Although individually of low cultural heritage value these cairns form part of a relatively undisturbed former landscape, and thus have a higher value collectively. Although no upstanding features were noted in the footprint of the proposed compound, that location is well within the area covered by DBA10, and it is possible that low or buried features survive there. It was recommended that: 1. All cairns near or on the proposed route be clearly marked by an archaeologist in advance of construction works 2. The route of the track be adjusted and marked out by engineers with the archaeologist in attendance 3. An archaeological watching brief be maintained on topsoil stripping within shaded area shown on figure 16, including the compound. Figure 3 Area of watching brief (shaded) with route of track and locations of clearance cairns (cc) and large cairn (Cairn). 2 Higgins, P & Worth, S, 2017 Balnacoil Desk-based Assessment and Walkover Survey. Unpublished client report HAS170401 6 Balnacoil Mast Watching Brief July 2017 Fieldwork Discussion with the ground works staff and engineer resulted in the track being micro-sited to follow the line recommended in the walkover survey report. The line was marked out with survey flags by the archaeologist. The area of the compound was similarly marked, and attention drawn to the location of the Scheduled Monument and the clearance mounds. 28/6/17 – weather overcast with sunny periods. The compound was situated on a slight SE-facing slope to the SE of the clearance cairns and to the NW the burial cairn. No evidence of any upstanding features within the area of compound was seen. An area 12m NE-SW x 11m NW-SE was excavated using a 4-ton back-acting machine with a straight- edged bucket. The peaty topsoil was found to an average depth of 200mm, above mixed natural deposits of yellow- brown and red-orange-brown sandy silts with a high concentration of angular and rounded stones, some large. No evidence for any archaeological features or deposits was found. Track – NC 81272/11420 – NC 80980/11685 26/6/17 and 27/6/17 – weather on 26th was overcast, on 27th steady rain and overcast. The route of the track was excavated principally using a 10-ton back-acting machine with a 1.6m wide straight-edged bucket. For a few hours on the 27/6 4-ton back-acting machine with 1m wide straight- edged bucket was used. The track was monitored from the mast site upslope around the edge of the field system and past the burial cairn until meeting former fence line (visible on figure 3), at which point the observations ceased. The track was stripped to 3m wide and mostly to a depth of 220mm, though near the mast that increased to 450mm deep in wetter ground. The topsoil and natural deposits were similar to those in the compound. There was no evidence for any archaeological features or deposits. 7 Balnacoil Mast Watching Brief July 2017 Figure 4 Track excavation in progress. Photograph 7 Discussion and Recommendations The site lies within an area in which elements of former landscapes are preserved, most notably the Scheduled cairn, provisionally dated to 4000 – 551BC, and the clearance mounds of the field system, assumed to be associated with the hut circles 2400 – 551BC (dates from the Highland HER). The micro-siting of the track route successfully avoided disturbing any upstanding features, and the watching brief did not identify any buried archaeological features or deposits. No further archaeological work is recommended. 8 Balnacoil Mast Watching Brief July 2017 Figure 5 Compound area excavated. Photograph 31 9 Balnacoil Mast Watching Brief July 2017 Figure 6 Watching brief area and camera points Appendix 1: Photographs Photo Description Facing CP 1 View of the current residents E 2 View of the current residents E 3 View of cairn from road edge. SW 1 4 View of cairn from road edge. SW 1 5 View of field system. SE 2 6 View of field system. W 2 7 View of excavation of road in progress.