A dig at beecraigs revealed evidence of prehistoric activity in the form of a timber circle, a ring ditch and a possible roundhouse. A small, deep ring ditch immediately to the west may relate to a burial cairn that had subsequently been removed

Please see http://www.wosas.net/wosas_event.php?id=4470

Site Name: Archaeological Evaluation and Excavation: Beecraigs Country Park, West Lothian

Organisation: Headland Archaeology Ltd

Director(s): Humble, J.

Year: 2010

Council: West Lothian

Context and Results

Context: A series of archaeological investigations in advance of construction of a new eco-visitor centre at Beecraigs Country Park, West Lothian. These included an 8% sample trial trench evaluation and a watching brief on all topsoil removal

Results: The work revealed evidence of prehistoric activity in the form of a timber circle, a ring ditch and a possible roundhouse. A small, deep ring ditch immediately to the west may relate to a burial cairn that had subsequently been removed

Methodology
The objectives of the evaluation were to establish if deposits or features of archaeological interest were present on the site; and if so to assess the nature and condition of any such remains. The aim was to provide enough information on any remains to recommend further mitigation measures and establish their likely scope.

The aim of the archaeological monitoring was to ensure that any identified features exposed by topsoil stripping prior to construction works were adequately excavated and recorded.

Three trial trenches (70m, 68m and 48m long and 1.5m wide) were machine excavated in accordance with an agreed layout that positioned them in areas likely to be disturbed by further works. The total area of the evaluation trenches was 279 sqm and covered c. 8% of the parts of site that were to be disturbed.

The trenches were excavated by a mechanical excavator fitted with a flat-bladed ditching bucket, which was used to remove topsoil under direct archaeological control. Excavation continued until either clean geological sediments or significant archaeological deposits were encountered. The resulting surfaces were hand cleaned where necessary and investigated for archaeological features. All identified features were investigated by hand and recorded. The stratigraphy of each trench was recorded in full.

Topsoil stripping on the access road, building footprint and car parking areas was archaeologically monitored. Topsoil stripping was undertaken using a mechanical excavator fitted with a flat-bladed ditching bucket under direct archaeological control. Excavation continued until either clean geological sediments or significant archaeological deposits were encountered. The resulting surfaces were hand cleaned where necessary and investigated for archaeological features. Features identified were subject to salvage excavation and recording. WoSAS were kept informed of any features identified during the monitoring and the level of excavation and recording was agreed.

Results
The following presents a summary of the results; full descriptions can be found in the appendices and site records will be deposited with the National Monuments Record of Scotland.

Topography and geology
The site partially occupies the top of a small hill (212 m OD), where the visitor centre is to be located, with the car park area occupying the gentle slopes to the southwest, and planned reed beds downhill to the west. On the summit of the hill there is a slight hollow. From the summit there are fine, open views towards the Forth on the east and north and facing west the view is dominated by the larger hill of Cockleroy, topped by a prehistoric fort (NMRS NS97 SE9).

The soil profile across the site consisted of a humus-rich clay loam overlying orange brown clay gravel. The geology of the area is of Devensian diamicton tills overlying basalt of the Bathgate Hills volcanic formation with a band of limestone running NE�SW to the east of the site.

Prehistoric features

Settlement
On a slight terrace below the crest of the hill at the south of the site was a cluster of features interpreted as the heavily truncated remains of a roundhouse with some ancillary features. The remains comprised segments of a curvilinear ditch [6 & 53] with 2 associated postholes [8 & 10], along with two further curvilinear ditches [43 & 45] a short distance to the north.

Presuming that the segments of curvilinear ditch [6 & 53] once formed a ring ditch, it would have had an internal diameter of c.6m. Segment [6] was 0.3m wide and 0.1m deep. The base was formed from the top of bedrock. A sample (1) from this feature contained a very small, abraded and undiagnostic pottery fragment. To the north possible continuation [53] was 1.3m long by 0.3m wide and 0.1m deep, and the surrounding area had been heavily disturbed by burrowing.

Posthole [8], located immediately to the south of [6], was 0.48m in diameter and 0.1m deep with the base again formed from bedrock. A sample (2) from this feature contained rare charcoal of a size large enough for AMS radiocarbon dating. Posthole [10] lay between [6 & 53] and was 0.25m in diameter and 0.12m deep; the fill of this feature contained several possible packing stones.

To the immediate north of these features lay two further curvilinear ditches [43 & 45]. These features were both very narrow (0.4m) and shallow (0.05m) and their similarity in profile and alignment suggested that they were part of the same original feature. The feature appeared to be very truncated and could be the surviving remains of a shallow ditch, perhaps originally forming a small enclosure. Two small pieces of cannel coal were recovered from the fill of [43]. While not diagnostic, these tentatively imply a late prehistoric or early historic date.

A feature interpreted as an irregularly shaped pit [51] filled with dark brown silty sand [50] to a depth of 0.21m was also recorded in this cluster.

Timber circle
The highest point of the site was occupied by a near complete circular arrangement of postholes. This comprised 7 postholes [16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 & 28]. A further two can be expected to lie outside the excavated area. There were also traces of a concentric internal ring ditch [30]. The circle of posts had a diameter of 8.5m and no internal features other than [30] were discovered. The postholes were all of similar size being around 1m in diameter with an average depth of 0.25m. The sandy clay loam fills of the postholes contained a number of packing stones confirming that they once had held upright timbers and suggesting that the posts had been left to rot in-situ rather than being removed. Several of the postholes were excavated to the bedrock which lay close to the ground surface across the site. Samples 4 and 8 from postholes 16 and 20 contained only very small flecks of charcoal.

The internal concentric ring ditch [30] was very shallow with a maximum depth of 0.05m and in areas there was only a very slight trace. This feature is thought to be the remains of a shallow ditch located internally to the circle of posts. Sample 013 from this feature again contained only traces of carbonised material.

To the east two pits [32 & 34] of undetermined character and date were discovered. It is not thought that these features held posts. Also to the east a broad hollow in the surface of geological deposits was filled with topsoil [37]. This was interpreted as relict topsoil preserved in a natural hollow in the surface of geological deposits and a single sherd of white gritty ware pottery (12th-14th century AD) was recovered from it. This suggests that the area had been manured and cultivated during the medieval period.

Ring ditch
Immediately to the west of the timber circle an annular ditch [12] was discovered lying almost completely within the area excavated for an access track. This feature had an internal diameter of 4.4m with the ditch varying in width between 0.6m and 0.9m. The sides of the ditch were sloping and the base rounded. The ditch had an average depth of 0.25m.

Initially 3 sections were hand-excavated across the ditch and recorded. Subsequently the feature was emptied by hand. No features were discovered in the interior of the ditch, which was thoroughly examined. Sample 003 from this feature contained rare charcoal of a size suitable for AMS dating.

Quarry pits
Two large irregularly shaped pits were discovered in close proximity to each other. The first of these was encountered in evaluation trench 1 while the second was revealed during monitoring of the soil stripping for the visitor centre footprint.

Pit [3] measured 7m by 11m and a machine excavated trench through the feature was halted at a depth of 2.2m for safety reasons; at this depth groundwater entered the trench. Similarly pit [38], measuring 11m by 4.5m was investigated by a machine-dug slot and excavation was stopped at 2m without reaching the base of the feature.

Both pits were steep sided and the base was not reached in either excavation. No dating evidence was recovered from the backfill, which was shale-rich redeposited subsoil. Pit [38] had been backfilled level with the ground surface while a hollow 0.4m deep remained after pit [3] was backfilled and subsequently filled with silt. Given their size, depth and that both were backfilled quickly with the material excavated from them, these pits were interpreted as related to quarrying.

Environmental Summary – Sarah-Jane Haston
A total of seven soil samples were processed for the recovery of charred plant remains and any other environmental or artefactual material. A full report is included as an Appendix. The concentration of archaeological remains recovered from the samples was very low. Carbonised material was the most frequently recovered material but in the majority of cases this only amounted to small quantities of wood charcoal and the occasional charred cereal grain. The paucity of charred plant remains and the poor preservation of the grain and charcoal may suggest that it had been moving around on the ground surface for a period of time before being blown and/or washed into the feature fills. In the absence of any obvious conflagration deposits the likely source of the charred material is domestic activity nearby, from which burnt debris (charred during food preparation or small-scale crop processing), has been accidentally incorporated into the sampled deposits.

Finds Summary – Julie Franklin
The assemblage numbered two pieces of a lightweight black shiny stone, probably locally available cannel coal, and two fragments of pottery. The only diagnostic sherd was of medieval date, other finds hint at an Iron Age date. Sites of the latter period are notoriously lacking in finds evidence in southeast Scotland.

The largest of the pot sherds is of locally made Scottish White Gritty Ware (Jones et al 2003). It dates to between the 12th and 14th centuries. It was found in the fill of a natural hollow. The other sherd was a small fragment of soft abraded reddish buff pottery with large stone inclusions. It is of uncertain date, but its location within the fill [7] of a ring ditch suggests it may be prehistoric.

The two pieces of cannel coal were found in a small curvilinear ditch (fills [5] and [42]) and associated with other features of presumed prehistoric date. The pieces are possibly worked, both are covered in scratch marks and one piece has a distinctly curved polished surface. These pieces are not diagnostic but cannel coal and similar stones were used to make bangles and other items of jewellery, particularly in the late prehistoric and early historic period.

Discussion

Prehistoric
Archaeological features of presumed prehistoric date were confined to two discrete areas. The features on top of the hill appear to relate to ritual activity, while the features off the crest of the hill to the south appear to be more domestic in character. The more sheltered location may have been favoured for settlement while the summit was considered more suitable for the erection of monuments which were intended to be visible from a distance.

Settlement
The curvilinear ditch [6 & 53] and postholes [8 & 10] in the car park area of the site suggest prehistoric settlement. Morphologically the features can be realistically interpreted as the remains of a small and very truncated roundhouse. The curvilinear gullies [43 & 45] to the north were very insubstantial. They may have represented a less substantial structure, such as a fenced enclosure rather than another roofed structure. This interpretation is tentative and the finds from the features, fragments of possibly worked cannel coal, imply both a later prehistoric date and possible craft-working on the site. The environmental remains do not particularly support a domestic interpretation for these features but this may reflect the site�s very poor preservation.

Timber circle
It can be difficult to distinguish the remains of a timber circle from those of a roundhouse or domestic roofed structure, and the latter was originally the preferred interpretation at Beecraigs. This interpretation was dismissed during the excavation for several reasons. Firstly there was no hearth within the structure, and a lack of domestic rubbish, carbonised grain or charcoal as would be expected in a domestic context. Perhaps more importantly the size and depth of the postholes suggested that the upright timbers were at least 0.4m in diameter and only shallowly set into the ground. The combination of large timbers with too shallow a foundation to support a heavy roof suggested that a timber circle should be the preferred explanation. The proximity of the ring ditch described below and the hill-top location also suggested a ritual interpretation.

Timber circles are known throughout Britain, with many being multi-period sites. They are often associated with other circular monuments of the later prehistoric period such as stone circles, henges and pit circles. Timber circles are often found within henge monuments, with Cairnpapple Hill being a prominent local example (Barclay & Grove 1998). The arrangement apparently seen at Beecraigs, a ring ditch internal to the timber circle, is rare but a parallel has been recorded at Standlake 20, Oxfordshire (Gibson 2005). This small circle, with a diameter of 13.5m was associated with middle Bronze age pottery.

Ring ditch
The small circular ditch to the west of the timber circle had a small internal diameter and for that reason does not seem likely to have been related to a roundhouse. Its form was suggestive of a ditch round a funerary cairn with the excavated material from the ditch being thrown into the centre to create a mound that would have covered a burial or cremation placed onto the former ground surface. The mound and grave would have been completely removed, presumably by later agriculture. Cultivation appears to have started on the site in the medieval period as a pot sherd from this period was recovered from a patch of relict topsoil.

Quarry pits
The resource that the quarry pits were excavated to exploit is not clear. The fills contained a large amount of shale and both pits were excavated close to a band of shale running across the site. Quarry pit 3 was also excavated into a band of limestone and it is a possibility that this was the mineral being pursued. However, adjacent quarry pit 38 was not excavated into this band of limestone. There is a large limestone quarry immediately to the east of the site, along with a number of lime kilns. One possibility is that the pits discovered at Beecraigs were trial excavations to test whether this area was worth exploiting.

The quarrying activity on the site does not appear on any historic maps of the area. This would suggest that activity on the site was either too insubstantial to be mapped or of a date that preceded detailed mapping by the Ordnance Survey in 1855.

Text from Headland Archaeology Ltd data structure report