Accessibility

Font Size

100% 150% 200%

Background Colour

Default Contrast
Close Reset

Resistivity

Date 9 April 2009 - 20 April 2009

Event ID 616930

Category Recording

Type Resistivity

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/616930

NT 18997 76951

Area ground and linear array resistance measurements taken at four sites on the edge of the fort, 9–20 April 2009, aimed to add further information and clarification to that derived from previous surveys.

Cramond Tower

A single 20 x 20m grid was surveyed on the lawn and drive to the S of the tower in an attempt to determine the continued line of the ditch detected in the pond. Low resistance on the E side of the square, next to the pond, possibly curved towards the SW corner of the square. This suggests that it may have joined the ditch on the E side of the fort.

Cramond Manse Grounds

Six 20 x 20m grids were surveyed and three linear array measurements were made in the area adjacent to the Cramond Glebe Road wall. The two southerly squares and a linear array parallel to the S boundary of the Manse grounds showed a high resistance on the line of the S wall of the fort. The absence of low resistance suggested

that there was no ditch to the S within the survey area. Unclear high resistance lines ran parallel to the S wall 10 and

20m within the fort. A linear array measurement parallel to Cramond Glebe Road intercepted the second of these at a

depth of about 1m. Interpretation was hampered by two low resistance robbed out walls that ran E–W and aligned with boundaries on the W side of the road. A probable old drain line ran NW across the site and obscured the point where the Via Decumana underlies the lawn.

Cramond House Parkland

Two linear array surveys were made N–S over the edge of the raised beach 10 and 20m from the E edge of previous resistance surveys (DES 2004, 53). These aimed to clarify the line of the bank and ditch on the raised beach edge. The profiles showed two low resistances 7m apart, suggesting that the single upcast, ditch and bank previously detected 60m to the E had divided into two. The line of the more southerly is towards the Tower pond (see above); the other may follow the edge of the raised beach, to the N of the Tower and appear in section in one of the surveys in the kennels area.

Cramond House Kennels

Three 20 x 20m grids were surveyed 8m S of the kennels with the centre line of the W pair on the line of the W wall of the kennels. Four linear array measurements were made to examine features to the N of the known position of the Severan Fort. The line of Old Street from medieval Cramond village crossed the area heading S, so any Roman features were expected to be disturbed. The W grid overlay part of trench C excavated in 1992 by EAFS. The trench appeared as an irregular high resistance infill. The adjacent printout showed only one clear feature, a comparatively modern building outline. The centre line of the third square was aligned with the E wall of the kennels. A number of amorphous high resistance anomalies could not be interpreted. Linear array 1 began 1m N of the W square NW corner; it ran parallel to trench C 2m to the W. Two, and a possible third V-shaped high resistances show at the N end of the survey area; these align with three broad shallow depressions of up to 0.4m deep found in trench C. The survey also showed, 35m to the S, a plausible wall platform with a truncated ditch at the 28m point. Linear array 2 ran down the centre line of the W pair of grids. At about its centre a complex high resistance possibly includes a truncated V-shaped ditch. Linear array 3 ran N–S on the E end of the third square starting 10m N of the NE corner. It revealed a significant V-ditch over 1m deep at the 16m point with a truncated V at 26m. If the line of the first ditch can be found it may relate to the N ditch in the parkland; it is on the edge of the raised beach. Linear array 4 ran E–W along the S side of the third square. It showed a U-shaped high resistance ditch 6m from the E end. The V shaped high resistances of linear array 1, the shallow depressions of trench C, the possible truncated V in linear array 2, and the U-shaped high resistance of linear array 4 align some 30m N of the Severan wall and are a plausible boundary of the Antonine fort.

Archive: CECAS SMR and RCAHMS (intended)

Funder: EAFS, Dr Peter Morris

D Jones and D Hawkins 2009

People and Organisations

References