Musselburgh, 11 Inveresk Village Road
No Class (Event), Temporary Camp (Roman)(Possible)
Site Name Musselburgh, 11 Inveresk Village Road
Classification No Class (Event), Temporary Camp (Roman)(Possible)
Canmore ID 236599
Site Number NT37SW 870
NGR NT 3485 7208
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/236599
- Council East Lothian
- Parish Inveresk (East Lothian)
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District East Lothian
- Former County Midlothian
Archaeological Evaluation (5 November 2001 - 14 November 2001)
NT37SW 870 3485 7208
NT 3483 7208 Topsoil removal in November 2001 on the footprint of a new dwelling house within the walled garden of an existing house at 11 Inveresk Village revealed the E-W alignment of a well-preserved Roman temporary camp ditch containing Roman coarseware pottery in a dark brown topsoil-derived fill. The ditch was 1m deep, but the width was not ascertained. Its profile is consistent with it being the perimeter ditch of a Roman temporary camp. A second series of complex ditches was aligned N-S and must have intersected the Roman ditch just outside the trench. Although no stratigraphic relationship between these features could be ascertained, Roman pottery was recovered from the upper levels of the N-S ditches. Two pits were also found. One was excavated and contained a hammerstone.
At least three Roman temporary camps have been found on more open ground to the SE and E of Inveresk fort, but the Roman ditch at this site appears not to be part of one of these. The surrounding land is developed and deep topsoil across the site would inhibit the recognition of archaeological remains from air photographs.
Report deposited in the NMRS.
Sponsor: George Grams (Architects).
I Suddaby (CFA) 2002
Publication Account (17 December 2011)
During excavations at Inveresk in 2001, a possible temporary camp ditch was recorded, running east to west, measuring 1m in depth and containing Roman coarseware pottery. Other ditches were located which ran north to south, also containing Roman pottery in the upper levels (Suddaby 2003). Given the number of field system ditches in the vicinity (see illus 150) also containing Roman pottery (see Cook 2005) and the presence of a triple-ditched structure, the possibility that this ditch may represent some other form of Roman activity should also be considered. It could not be identified from air photographs.
R H Jones 2011.