Survey and Excavation 2005

Castlehill, Penicuik, LMidlothian

Contents

1. Summary

2. Introduction

3. Method

4. Results

6. Acknowledgements

7. Illustrations

7.1 Site Coordinate System

7.2 Ground Resistance Survey Printout
7.3 Section through Paved Area Trench 1
7.4 Plan of area below Paving Trench 1
7.5 Site Contour Plan
7.6 Overlay Ainslie Plan on 1894 O.S. map.
7.7 Plan of Trench 2 Southeast section
7.8 Diagrammatic Plan of Contexts Trench 2
7.9 ~ h o t o g r a ~ Trench
hs 2 and finds S.F. 1 and 2

8. References

8.1 Harken Burn Castlehill Survey and Excavation 2004.

Jones HMD and Murdoch K R EAFS Occas. Paper No, 9
8.2 Harken Burn Castlehill Survey First Season Interim Report 2003
Jones HMD EAFS Occas. Paper No.6

9. Appendices

9.1 Position Coordinates: Small Finds and Soil Samples

9.2 Context Lists
 Sl~rvevand Excavation 2005 Castlehill, Penicuik, Midlothian

1. Summary

This, the third year of slit vey and excavaiion at Castlehill, extended the topographical
survey, continued the excavation in Trench 1 and made the g~ound I esis;ance survey
poposed in last year's report (Ref 8 I), on the slope of the hill facing Cornton The
contir~uatio~i of the revetnient round the south side of the promontory, that was opened
lip last year, was extet~dttdand became incorporatecl into Trench 2 Two qua1tzite
cobbles that had been used as grinding tools we1 e found in Trench 2 adjacent to
ailother paved area illat could ~ e pesent
t a hearth A lens of dark sandy soil lay over the
centre of this paving and it anti four othe~sarnples have been talien for analysis
Tnitially the two grinding %toneshave been suggested as l a t e Tron Age

Two other trenches have been opened. Trench 4 was over an isolated high resistance
oil the south side of Trench 1; well draining fine sand was found to a depth of over
0.5~11and the high resistance is assumed of geohgical origin Trench 3 was opened
a.cross the inner bank, at the southwest end of ihe promontory, a stone line may
represent the lernains of a wall. The end of the seasou precluded fuither investigation.

The ground resistance survey at the.nottheast end of the qite showed no high
resistance paved approach towards the castle fi-om that direction but did show a clear
angled linear low resistance that appears to represent a robbed out wall. that is shown
on the 1894 0 S may A similar appar erif wall line appeal s on the Ainslie plari of
1796 with the circle of ihe castle intet-secting the more so~~therly
section

The site of Castlehill (NGR NT 2081 5874) was first the subject of an area ? o-round
, resistance survey or4570 sq.m in 2003. This was fdlowed by two resistive linear
array ineasurerneuts, one across the castle and the other, some 801-r~ to the south west
across a marked ditch and banks. 0 1 1 coni!~letionof these surveys a, 15 by 3m irench
was opened across the supposed castle site, this was later extended to 17m to
investigate to the south ofthe paved area. The castle is shown as a circle on the
Ainslie estate plan and is referred to ill the Old Statistical Account of the Parish of
Penicuik ( I 795); in this it i s compared with other Tron Age sites in The County of
M.idlothian. The circular shape, indicated by Ainslie, and its position on a natut-ally
defensible ridge with ditch and banks a1 its south west end, could suggest it as an Tron
Age prom.ontory fort but it could equally be seen as an early motte and bailey site.
There was some possible historical evidence for the latter from a. documented meeting
of lar~clowners held in 1280 in St Catherine's C'riapel i n the Pentlands.

The site is a glaciated ridge of sands and gravels over two linear li!neslone deposits
that are faulted giving the sharp drop down to the cottages at Cornton The limestone
is at such a depth that it has not been detected, Detail ofthe Solid and Drift geology is
given in Ref 8 1
3. Methods
Since the issue of the 2004 report (Ref8 1) context renumbering has taken place to
give different context series for different trenches. A11 ,Trench 1 contests are now in
the 100 series, Trench 2 have become 200, Trench 3 a 300 series and the small Trench
4, that is now back filled, has three recorded contexts, 401,402 and 403.

4. Results
4.1 Ground Resistance Survey

Two 20 by 20m squares were surveyed on the north east slope of the promontory in
an attempt to clarify whether 'castle' features extended down slope towards the
Cornton cottages The most significant feature on the printout of the data was a linear
low resistance that turned through approximately 1 15 degrees on approaching the
steep drop to the Cornton Burn This is presumed to be the line of a robbed out wall
which turns through the same angle on the 1594 0 S map There is little doubt that it
is the same feature On the basis of this detected wall a realignment of the resistance
grid in relation to the map has been made The original alignment of the grid was
based on its relation to the field wall at the south west end of the site, a compass
bearing between EDM points 1 and 2 and the Sat Nav position of EDM point 2
beside the 'castle' The rotation of the grid about its southwest point adjacent to the
wall, coordinate point 0 40, brings the ground resistance linear low into coincidence
with the 0 S map field wall This correction moves the Sat Nav position through a
distance that is within the stated error of satellite measurement. Due to the steep upper
part of the slope overloolting Cornton there is an 8 Om gap between the most north
easterly square measured in 2003, which was limited to 12.0m, and the two squares
surveyed in 2005 The site coordinate system and the layout of all resistance squares
surveyed are shown in !llus.7.1. The resistive printout of the squares surveyed this
year is Illus 7 2

4.2 Excavation Trench 1

The half sectioning of the paved area in this trench was completed and showed that
the paving had been laid on large, presumably glacially deposited, stones interspersed
with sands and gravels These are both sedimentary and igneous and were fractured
in-situ as matching parts lie adjacent to one another, they are contained within a sandy
gravel matrix which includes many more clasts than the area of the sonde, some lorn
to the north east Drawings were made of the section through the paving and a plan of
the surface below the removed area (see Illus 7 3 and 7 4) The glacial deposits rarely
had clearly defined boundaries and context edges tended to merge into the
neighbouring context This is the reason that many contexts are defined as rectangular
areas with corner coordinates specified Paved and dark soil sample areas are
exceptions to this rule The size of Trench 1 was reduced by backfilling 5 5m at the
northeast end, the corner coordinates are now 141 5 32, 141 5 29, 130 29 and 130 32

4.3 Excavation Trench 2

Trench 2, with corner coordinates 134.27.5, 141.27.5, 141.20 and 134:20, was created
by the extension, from the partial excavation in 2004 ofthe line of revetment stones
on the south side of the promontory, nortliwards towards Trench 1 . This extension
was started in 2004 and resulted in the finding of a paved area. The formalisation of
this as Trench 2 to reach within 1.5m of the side of Trench 1 exposed a second paved
area about 2m to the north east of that found in 2004. This second paved area has a
curbed edge making it very similar to that found in Trench 1 and was covered in its
centre by a lens of dark sandy material which has been taken as a soil sample.
Adjacent to the baulk that separates Trench 2 from Trench 1 a quartzitehandstone
cobble was found (Small Find 1) with distinct grinding wear marks on either end. A
second similarly worn cobble (Small Find 2) was found nearer the centre of the
trench, it had however been broken in half prior to being used as a grinder, the edge of
the fracture being ground down.
A disturbed area of ground (Context 2 12) includes sands, gravels, clasts and a large
tree root; this is near to the find point of SF2 but does not include it. The northern face
of the trench, along the 27.5m line, had a serni-circle of small rounded stones
emerging from it with a dark sandy soil enclosed within it. A soil sample was taken
fiom here for fbture analysis together with a sample from the south west side of the
trench. The position coordinates of small finds and the areas from which soil samples
have been taken are listed in Appendix 9.1.

4.4 Excavation Trench 3

The trench is located on the crest of the inner bank at the south west end of the site.
The corner coordinates are 67:40, 71 :40, 71 :34 and 67:34. It is centred on a point
where the resistance reading along the line of the bank decreases and where two
parallel low resistance lines, which come down the length of the promontory from the
castle hill end, appear to pass through the bank towards the south west. The 6.0m
north south dimension of the trench is such that it cuts the high resistance sections on
either side of the lower resistance. Beneath a thin topsoil a sandy gravel subsoil,
typical of the site, was found to include a large number of angular clasts forming what
could have been a rough wall along the top of the ridge. Excavation of the ridge down
to the bottom level of the adjacent ditch will result in a section, the vertical face of
which will be over 1.5m. The sandy gravel slumps easily and it was decided to leave
the sectioning to the 2006 season to obviate collapse during the course of the winter.

4.5 Excavation Trench 4

Over an isolated area of high resistance that appears on the area resistance survey (see
Ref 8.2), a 1.Om square excavation was made centred on coordinate 137.5:27.
Beneath a typical humus topsoil an equally typical sandy gravel subsoil was under
lain by a fine sand that had ripple marks of varying shades of sandlbrown. This was
excavated to a depth of 0.5m. and probed to 0.75m. No clasts or features were
detected to this depth and the trench was backfilled.

5. Conclusions
5.1 Ground Resistance Survey

The addition of two 20 by 20m. squares to the area ground resistance survey, on the
north eastern end of the promontory overlooking the cottages at Cornton, indicated
that no 'castle' features appeared to extend in that direction. The line of the angled
wall, shown on the 1894 0.S. map, was detected as a low resistance; it no longer
exists on the ground and is presumed to have been robbed out. However its detection
allowed the slight re-alignment of the grid system in relation to the map without
invalidating any archaeological work. The lack of any significant high or low
resistances being found adjacent to or intersecting the robbed out wall calls into
question what the circle, shown on the Anslie plan of 1796, was drawn to represent.

The Ainslie plan does not show an absolutely circular enclosure; along the line of the
promontory it measures 60m and across about 54m. The position of the hachures on
the 1894 0.S. map suggests that about 13m of this shorter axis is over the edge
towards the Cornton Burn. The slope of the promontory towards Cornton is not
hachured but the slope is of the order of 20 degrees and the edge of the 'circle' is
some 20m.down the slope from the highest position at the end of the promontory.
The southern straight section of the angled wall, shown on the 1894 O.S. map, cuts
the Ainslie circle and was thus built post 1796; possibly using materials from the
boundary of the Ainslie enclosure but no robbed out traces of this have been found.
The non-defensive position of the Ainslie enclosure, part way down the slope towards
Cornton, suggests that it may relate only to a boundary round Castle Hill Plantation
and may therefore be a post-medieval feature.

The row of revetment stones, round the end of the promontory, are approximately on
the same level as the 'Iron Age' features in Trenches 1 and 2 and could represent the
extent to which the structure extended to the north east, some allowance being made
for down slope slippage. A computed overlay of the Anslie plan onto the 1894 O.S.
map with added resistive survey squares is shown in Illus. 7.6. There is no indication
in the 2003 resistive plot (see Ref 8.2) of the southwest edge of the Ainslie circle
however some indication may be given by the change of slope in the Contoured Plan,
Illus. 7.5.

5.2 Excavation Trench 1

The half-sectioning of the 'hearth' area of sandstone slabbing, including the sideritic
sandstone that had given bogus non-ferrous readings on the metal detector in 2004,
showed that the slabs were bedded on a mixture of fractured stone, sand, gravel and a
small amount of clay. The paving was well laid, level and with only small gap joints.
It is possible that the in-situ fracturing of the larger stones, below the paving, could
have been part of the levelling process before the sandstone slabs were put in place.
Two dark, apparently carbonaceous, soil samples were taken from the context
adjacent to the hearth; the hearth itself was not overlain by darkened soil. All soil
sample coordinates are given in Appendix 9.1.

5.3 Excavation Trench 2

The two paved areas found, the first in 2004 and the second this year, together with
the two grinding stones are the best evidence yet to an Iron Age site. The line of large
revetment stones, that runs along the south side of Trench 2 can be seen possibly as
the edge of an inhabited area before the ground falls away to the un-named burn on
the south side of the site.

The dark material that lay over the second paved and curbed sandstone slabs possibly
indicates that this was a hearth while the other, more rectangular, paved area 2.0m to
the southwest may have been a threshold into an enclosed area. However the lack of
reddening of the soil around the 'hearth' calls this interpretation into question.
 The initial intention was to terminate Trench 2 at the 25m line but the finding of the
hearth paving resulted in the extension to the 27.5 line and the finding of the two
grinder stones. It has been suggested that these are Late Iron Age and possibly used
for the working of skins or leather rather than food preparation. Due to the lateness of
this extension the drawing of Trench 2 (Illus. 7.7) extends only to the 25m line. A
diagrammatic representation of the contexts within the extended trench is shown in
Illus. 7.8 and photographs of the trench and the grinder finds form Illus. 7.9.

5.4 Excavation Trench 3

The angular clasts found between 0.3 and 0.4m below the surface of the crest of the
bank extend north-south along the length of the trench crossing that part that appears
low resistance in the area printout. If these stones along the ridge do represent a wall
that has, at least partially, been robbed out it must be presently assumed that this is a
late feature and not associated with the Iron Age finds. This assumption is made on
the basis that the low resistance recorded in the area survey lies below this wall and
possibly represents an earlier exit from the site through a gap or gate in the bank that
was filled in before the erection of the wall.

The correctness, or otherwise, of this assumption should be verified by making a

section through the bank, which is at least 1.5m high in relation to the bottom of the
' adjacent ditch. The sectioning of the bank will be given priority in the 2006
excavation season.

5.5 Excavation Trench 4

This 1.Om square exploratory test pit was dug over the centre of an isolated high
resistance shown on the area survey. It is about 3 .Om in diameter and its edge lies
1.Om south of the backfilled section of Trench 1.
Beneath a peatyldetrital topsoil (Context 401) there was a sandy gravel subsoil with
very few small clasts to a depth of 0.4m (Context 402). The pure sand layers (Context
403) below this showed ripple marks in different shades of brown to reddish brown
with no clasts, probably indicating that they were water laid.
Context 403 was excavated to a depth of 0.5m and was probed to 0.75m without
encountering any clasts in the final 0.25m. The sands and gravels are assumed to be a
purely geological deposition with the measured high resistance being due to well
draining sand layers. The test pit was backfilled after the probing was completed.

6 Acknowledgements

We are pleased to record our thanks to the following for assistance, in various ways,
to the success of the project:-

Sir Robert Clerk of Penicuik for permission to continue the survey and excavation for
this, the third season, and also for permission to return to the site in February 2006.

The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland for providing a grant, for the third year, from
the research fbnds to cover expenses in administration, consumable equipment,
insurance, report printing and travelling.
Dr Stephen Carter and Mr David Connolly for visiting the site and giving advice on
excavation and comments on finds.

Dr Fraser Hunter for his comments on the possible use of the two cobble tools.

The Society members involved in the survey and excavation were:-

Alan Calder, Patrick Cave-Browne, Charles Comer, Valerie Dean, Carol Dickson,
Hugh Dinwoodie, David and Morag Gibson, Frank Harkness, Michael Harris, Ian
Hawkins, Brian James, David Jones, Bill MacLennan, Bob Marks, Don Matthews,
David Metcalf, Robin Murdoch, Ian Patterson, Mandy Rathgen, Jill Strobridge, Brian
and Kathleen Tait, Irene Taylor and Linda Wilkinson.

Between 8 February and 3 August a total of 147 working days were recorded.

Further contribution was made by Ian Hawkins in processing the ground resistance
measurements and providing the printouts and by Don Matthews in computer
processing the Ainslie plan to overlie the 1894 O.S. map.
Copies of the Ainslie plans were provided by Frank Harkness
Trench 1 drawing is by Val Dean and Trench 2 by Jill Strobridge.
The contoured plan was surveyed and drawn by Robin Murdoch.
Trench 2 photograph (Illus 7.9) is by David Metcalf.