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Drumoig

Unenclosed Settlement (Period Unassigned)

Site Name Drumoig

Classification Unenclosed Settlement (Period Unassigned)

Alternative Name(s) Comerton Home

Canmore ID 110870

Site Number NO42NW 91

NGR NO 438 251

NGR Description Centred NO 438 251

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

C14 Radiocarbon Dating

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/110870

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Administrative Areas

  • Council Fife
  • Parish Leuchars
  • Former Region Fife
  • Former District North East Fife
  • Former County Fife

Archaeology Notes

NO42NW 91 centred 438 251

NO 438 251 A watching brief on a golf course and housing development has taken place since March 1995. Aerial photographs had indicated the presence of prehistoric features in the area and geophsical examination and trial trenching undertaken by GUARD in 1990 confirmed the presence of numerous archaeological features. Several key areas were fenced off and excluded from the development and a watching brief was carried out on all topsoil stripping over the rest of the development. Full excavation has taken place in several areas of the development where dense concentrations of archaeological features were revealed beneath the topsoil.

Evidence for settlement dating from the Neolithic to the Medieval period has been produced including pottery and flint artefacts. All the features, post holes, pits and arcing ditches have been affected to varying degrees by ploughing. Two pits of particular interest contained carbonised nut shells, fragments of cremated bone. One also contained a leaf-shaped arrowhead and the other a flint blade. The remains of what may have been a souterrain has been excavated and contained iron work and undecorated pottery.

Sponsor: Drumoig Ltd.

H James 1995.

NO 438 251 Glasgow University Archaeological Research Division conducted a watching brief on all topsoil stripping linked to a house construction programme associated with the Drumoig Golf Course development, a continuation of work begun in 1995. A total of 14 house plots and an access road have been stripped to date. Dense concentrations of archaeological features were discovered beneath the topsoil in all of the proposed plot sites, as well as within the line of the access road, in all a total of some 1900 features. Time was then created in the development schedule for the excavation and recording of the most significant features.

Evidence of roundhouses, of both ring-ditch and post-hole construction, were identified and excavated. These all showed varying degrees of plough truncation, though one example, a segment of a roundhouse located at the edge of the access road, was found to possess surviving floor levels and internal post-holes.

Numerous small finds were recovered from across the development area, including one complete pottery vessel broken in situ, numerous fragments of decorated pottery, worked flint and occasional burnt bone. Later field boundaries have also been identified and activity on the site can be dated from the Neolithic through to the medieval period. Work will be continuing into 1997, with further areas of housing and a practice area for a Golf Academy due to be constructed.

Sponsors: Drumoig Ltd, Historic Scotland.

S Halliday 1996.

NO 43 25 During 1997 watching briefs and excavations undertaken by GUARD were carried out in advance of housing development within the Forgan and Comerton housing areas in addition to the construction of a golf academy.

Forgan

Stripping two further house plots revealed a total of 65 archaeological features, including post-holes, but no structures were identified. Decorated prehistoric pottery sherds were found within plough-truncated pits, as well as a fragment of possible burnt hazelnut shell.

Comerton House Plots

Seven house plots were stripped of topsoil. Three structures, numerous plough-truncated pits, post-holes and scoops, some of which contained prehistoric pottery and worked stone artefacts, were identified.

Two oval post-built structures with remnants of possible internal roof supports and entrances were identified. Pottery recovered from these structures suggests a Bronze Age date. An arcing ditch interpreted as a foundation trench for a structure was also seen but no artefacts were recovered from it.

GUARD conducted a watching brief and excavation on one house plot within this area, a continuation of the work started in late 1996 (Halliday 1996). A total of 35 archaeological features were identified and excavated, including a large pit with numerous fills.

Scottish Golf Academy

In the spring of 1997 a palaeoenvironmental and archaeological assessment of the boggy area in the NW of the development took place. No archaeological remains were found sealed by or within the peat.

During the summer a watching brief was undertaken in advance of the construction of a golf academy. The identification of prehistoric and post-medieval archaeological features and structures led to further excavation. The prehistoric remains consisted of a possible Mesolithic flint scatter, the remains of four ring-ditches of the Neolithic or Bronze Age, a burnt mound with an associated trough, a cremation within a wooden container, and the remains of a double ring-ditch enclosure.

A large, Y-shaped structure consisting of two gravel banks, wall footings, peat turf deposits, and patchy remains of a cobbled surface was tentatively identified as a post-medieval sheep fank. Artefacts from this structure consist of clay pipe fragments, iron fragments, a spindle whorl, a glass bead and a carved sandstone box lid. A second post-medieval structure consisted of a cobbled surface with three post-holes and a wall foundation cut. An iron scythe was recovered from the top of the cobbled surface. Numerous drainage ditches and plough marks indicated post-medieval agricultural activity in the surrounding area.

Sponsors: Drumoig Ltd, Scottish Golfing Association.

S Halliday and B Simpson 1997

NO 43 25 During 1998, work continued in advance of housing developments (see Halliday and Simpson 1997).

Forgan. Stripping of four more house plots took place during 1998 with further archaeological features being uncovered. No structures were identified but decorated prehistoric pot sherds were recovered within plough-truncated pits. Evidence of later agricultural activity was found in the form of roughly cut drainage ditches which cut through some of the earlier prehistoric activity.

Comerton. Work was undertaken in September 1998 on the access road for the extension of this housing area. Sixty archaeological features were identified, including post-holes and pits, but no structures were identified. No finds were recovered.

Golf Academy car park extension. An extension of the car park uncovered eight archaeological features. Of these, only one pit yielded sherds of prehistoric pottery. All other features were of a similar form to other features excavated in the area.

Greenkeepers' compound. Located on the S side of Craigie, an area measuring 84 x 28m was stripped to incorporate a secure shed for the greenkeepers. Eighteen archaeological features were identified, including part of a square or rectangular enclosing ditch running under the northern trench edge. No features were noted inside the ditch and there were no finds associated with the feature. The other features included large pits and large curvilinear features, none of which yielded finds.

Sponsor: Drumoig Ltd.

S Halliday 1998

The monument comprises an extensive unenclosed settlement of prehistoric date, the existence of which has been demonstrated by geophysical survey and trial archaeological excavation in arable farmland at around 30m OD. It consists of a range of settlement remains, including the remains of timber roundhouses, pits, lengths of ditch, and other associated structures.

Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 20 February 1998.

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