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Newbarns

Burial(S) (Period Unassigned), Cairn (Period Unassigned), Chambered Cairn (Neolithic), Pit(S) (Bronze Age)

Site Name Newbarns

Classification Burial(S) (Period Unassigned), Cairn (Period Unassigned), Chambered Cairn (Neolithic), Pit(S) (Bronze Age)

Alternative Name(s) The Newbarns Project (N Site)

Canmore ID 295523

Site Number NX85NE 49

NGR NX 8810 5505

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/295523

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
Canmore Disclaimer. © Copyright and database right 2024.

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Administrative Areas

  • Council Dumfries And Galloway
  • Parish Colvend And Southwick
  • Former Region Dumfries And Galloway
  • Former District Stewartry
  • Former County Kirkcudbrightshire

Archaeology Notes

NX85NE 49 8810 5505

NX 8810 5505 (N site) A sixth season of excavation by volunteer diggers and students of the Stewartry Archaeological

Trust has continued on the N site at Newbarns. Previous work has been reported in DES 2003, 44 and 2005, 42.

By the end of the season a total of 18 prehistoric burial pits, the earliest having been dated to the Early Bronze Age, have

been identified and at least a further 5 are earmarked for future investigation. To the NE of the existing N cairn a further, smaller, satellite cairn was recovered from the peat covering the old loch bottom. On its northern perimeter there is evidence of burial in the form of a huge granite capstone sitting on granite cushion stones. There is no evidence of later, medieval, presence as there is on the other cairns being currently excavated, so it can be hypothesised that this feature was still beneath the waters of the then Barnhourie Loch during the later tenure of the cairns at Newbarns by the Colwen family who were Drengs from Workington in Cumbria.

The Neolithic passage grave was further excavated to reveal the 4.2m-long passage leading from the kerbed edge of the cairn to the entrance of the burial chamber. This has either been filled in after use when the monument was closed for posterity, or has been backfilled in medieval times and a timber building erected over it. Unfortunately subsidence into the passage has occurred. The cobbled floor of the building has tilted to the S and use would then have been untenable. A datable copper alloy pin head was recovered from this cobbled floor level. The huge capstone has been shifted off the level by violent tree root action, and some of the side stones of the passage have been identified and seem to have suffered a similar fate. These will be lifted next season. One flint tool was recovered from behind the burial chamber.

This was the fourth to be found in the immediate vicinity of this feature, which was so badly damaged in antiquity that one

might interpret it as a deliberate attempt to destroy this ancient monument. A large extent of cobbling level has been uncovered to the N of the passage grave and a number of postholes of varying sizes would indicate that a NE-facing rectangular timber building latterly stood on this part of the site. Speculation dates it to the medieval occupation of the cairn when it was in use as a bailey settlement.

Several round Late Bronze Age or Early Iron Age burials have been revealed, some of which contain two cremation

depressions and all are lined with granite and shale cobbling into which broken stone tools have been inserted. One contained a large shale anvil and the entire pit had been backfilled with small granite boulders before a small, flat capstone was set in position on top of the pit. A further series of pit-like features has been uncovered next to this burial and underneath a further layer of medieval backfilling. These await investigation. To the N of this feature a series of stakeholes have been found surrounding the cut of another large-stone filled pit.

NX 8810 5485 Due to the recent foot and mouth precautions and the strictures of DEFRA it has not been possible to carry on any excavation of the S site at Newbarns during 2007. It is hoped to remedy this in 2008.The Newbarns Project was selected as the 2007 competition prize by the Young Archaeologists Club and was won by Hannah from Glasgow who spent an enjoyable day on site.

Excavation will continue at Newbarns in 2008.

The archive is in the process of being deposited with Dumfries and Galloway Council and is lodged with the Stewartry Museum, Kirkcudbright.

Funder: The Council for British Archaeology, Barend Holiday Village, the Robert Kiln Trust.

Elizabeth and Alastair Penman, 2007.

Activities

Project (2003)

Excavation (2007)

NX 8810 5505 (N site) A sixth season of excavation by volunteer diggers and students of the Stewartry Archaeological Trust has continued on the N site at Newbarns. Previous work has been reported in DES 2003, 44 and 2005, 42. By the end of the season a total of 18 prehistoric burial pits, the earliest having been dated to the Early Bronze Age, have been identified and at least a further 5 are earmarked for future investigation. To the NE of the existing N cairn a further, smaller, satellite cairn was recovered from the peat covering the old loch bottom. On its northern perimeter there is evidence of burial in the form of a huge granite capstone sitting on granite cushion stones. There is no evidence of later, medieval, presence as there is on the other cairns being currently excavated, so it can be hypothesised that this feature was still beneath the waters of the then Barnhourie Loch during the later tenure of the cairns at Newbarns by the Colwen family who were Drengs from Workington in Cumbria.

The Neolithic passage grave was further excavated to reveal the 4.2m-long passage leading from the kerbed edge of the cairn to the entrance of the burial chamber. This has either been filled in after use when the monument was closed for posterity, or has been backfilled in medieval times and a timber building erected over it. Unfortunately subsidence into the passage has occurred. The cobbled floor of the building has tilted to the S and use would then have been untenable. A datable copper alloy pin head was recovered from this cobbled floor level. The huge capstone has been shifted off the level by violent tree root action, and some of the side stones of the passage have been identified and seem to have suffered a similar fate. These will be lifted next season. One flint tool was recovered from behind the burial chamber.

This was the fourth to be found in the immediate vicinity of this feature, which was so badly damaged in antiquity that one might interpret it as a deliberate attempt to destroy this ancient monument. A large extent of cobbling level has been uncovered to the N of the passage grave and a number of postholes of varying sizes would indicate that a NE-facing rectangular timber building latterly stood on this part of the site. Speculation dates it to the medieval occupation of the cairn when it was in use as a bailey settlement.

Several round Late Bronze Age or Early Iron Age burials have been revealed, some of which contain two cremation depressions and all are lined with granite and shale cobbling into which broken stone tools have been inserted. One contained a large shale anvil and the entire pit had been backfilled with small granite boulders before a small, flat capstone was set in position on top of the pit. A further series of pit-like features has been uncovered next to this burial and underneath a further layer of medieval backfilling. These await investigation. To the N of this feature a series of stakeholes have been found surrounding the cut of another large-stone filled pit.

NX 8810 5485 Due to the recent foot and mouth precautions and the strictures of DEFRA it has not been possible to carry on any excavation of the S site at Newbarns during 2007. It is hoped to remedy this in 2008.The Newbarns Project was selected as the 2007 competition prize by the Young Archaeologists Club and was won by Hannah from Glasgow who spent an enjoyable day on site.

Excavation will continue at Newbarns in 2008.

The archive is in the process of being deposited with Dumfries and Galloway Council and is lodged with the Stewartry Museum, Kirkcudbright.

Funder: The Council for British Archaeology, Barend Holiday Village, the Robert Kiln Trust.

Excavation (2009)

NX 8812 5505 and NX 8810 5485 An eighth season of excavation by volunteer diggers and students of the

Stewartry Archaeological Trust has continued. Previous work has been reported in DES 2003, 44; 2005, 42; 2006, 48; 2007, 60; 2008, 51.

NX 8812 5505 The North Cairn: Excavation continued on the North Cairn and its satellite cairn this season. Further investigation of the Neolithic Passage Grave confirmed its construction as c2800–2500 BC making it the oldest feature on site. A great deal of tree root damage was obvious, but more of the stones which had lined the southern side of the entrance passage were exposed and now await further investigation once the wet weather damage of August has been rectified. The entire burial was under water for two months. A huge stone guarding the entrance to the passage was exposed and the present hypothesis is ‘that this stone was standing on its end as a totemic guardian of the entrance to the tomb’.

A complex of later, smaller, boat burials has been uncovered towards the eastern perimeter of the cairn and at least two of those exhibit evidence of having been constructed as late as the Iron Age. One of them had a

headstone in the shape of half of a millstone. The earliest burial was a boat-shaped cobbled cremation measuring 1.0 x 1.9 x 0.4m deep and this was surmounted by a 3 ton capstone. The grave was surrounded by a cobbled or paved area measuring 5 x 8m. A paved path or roadway led directly into this complex and it appears that, at a later date, the paved area surrounding the burial was broken through by later mourners who buried the ashes of their dead ones as near as possible to the earliest burial. Only three small areas of paving remain between the burials. The largest burial was 1.8 x 0.6 x 0.3m deep and the smallest 0.4. x 0.3m deep. All were covered by granite capstones of varying sizes. On the periphery of the complex there were 13 large postholes, possibly representing the uprights of a timber construction which covered this complex of burials. Whether it had walls has yet to be determined. Further excavation will indicate the possible function of this structure.

A further 11 large capstones, the biggest over 5 tons and 1.9 x 1.7m at its widest point, have been identified for

future removal. They are either covering further cremations or are the detritus of the local Victorian house-builders or quarriers, who obtained much of their granite building stone from the motte hill by the use of the then common feathering technique or the indiscriminate use of gunpowder.

The Satellite Cairn Further excavation revealed part of the kerb of the cairn, and on the northern perimeter it

became clear that a clay-based platform, of much altered construction, had been constructed over the earlier boulder surface of the cairn base. This platform leads S from the site of the defensive stone wall which surrounded the base of the medieval motte hill towards the centre of the original cairn. To date an area 3m2 has been exposed down to a layer of clay flooring, and 45 rounded granite stones of various sizes from golf ball to 130 x 150mm diameter hand-sized cobble were recorded. Most of these are round or oval and appear to have been specially selected. They resemble similar stones identified as missiles, which were found behind the slot of the timber palisade which delineated the southern edge of the motte hill facing onto the current

excavation area.

Further clearance of peat and topsoil exposed more of the cairn to reveal a number of possible capstones which were marked for removal. Three of those, all next to each other, were lifted and revealed two further cobbled cremation burials identical to those excavated on the North Cairn. Further excavation of this new addition to the Project will continue in 2010.

Funder: Frances Cairncross CBE FRSE, Hamish McRae, Stewartry Archaeological Consultancy

Liz Penman and Alastair Penman – Stewartry Archaeological Trust

Excavation (2010)

NX 8812 5505 and NX 8810 5485 A ninth season of excavation by volunteer diggers and students of the Stewartry Archaeological Trust has continued. Previous work has been reported in DES 2003, 44; 2005, 42; 2006, 48; 2007, 60; 2008, 51 and 2009, 54–55.

NX 8812 5505 The North Cairn Further cremation burials were excavated near to the summit of the cairn and one, Burial 49, had an in situ cup-marked shale capstone. The capstone had been damaged and broken by weathering but excavation revealed a single large cup mark on its top, five cups and an axe (the cups varying from 5–15mm), on its base and a total of 27 cup marks on its other surfaces. The present expert opinion is that this rock art may relate to ceremonial funerary rituals.

Postholes of a timber construction have been found in the area of Burial 30 and the current hypothesis is that the area around this burial had been a shrine comprising a paved area around the burial and a roofed construction sheltering the whole. The available evidence suggests that there were many religious sites, focused around small timber built shrines in SW Scotland, and that many of these sites continued to be in

use throughout the Roman period in Galloway.

Two further cremation burials outwith the shrine area exhibited a different style to the earlier Bronze Age ones, with the capstones being placed into position using a ramp set in the side of one burial and the end of another. The present premise is that the capstones of the earlier burials may have been positioned using ice and snow during the winter, with a change to the use of ramps in the later prehistoric period possibly reflecting a shift in the climatic conditions, from cold to warmer and wetter winters.

The Satellite Cairn Further excavation revealed a number of new cremation burials and numerous datable items in the form of both saddle and rotary querns along with some stone tools. The excavation of a series of later postholes set on top of the stonework of the cairn indicated later medieval use of the site. The investigation of a clay platform, located in 2009, revealed that another later platform had been constructed over the first. The foundations of a stone walled building on the northern perimeter of the cairn were also excavated and dated to the time of the Anglian occupation of Galloway. This building would have been contemporary with the nearby Anglian settlement of the Mote of Mark at Rockcliffe. A later medieval building had been constructed on top of the Anglian one. A doorway was recorded set into one of its walls and inside the building the remnants of neat cobbled flooring stretched northwards for 3.1m. This was covered by a clay structure rising to the NE and a number of granite boulders. Adjacent and to the W of this was a clay-lined pit

which had been backfilled with large granite boulders. The pit was 2.4m wide at its S end continued N for 8.8m then narrowed to 2.2m and ran into the base of the motte hill adjoining the site. Further excavations during the 2011 season will aim to ascertain the total length of this feature which, at this stage, cannot be identified as having a specific purpose other than that it had contained a liquid.

Archive: The Stewartry Museum, Kirkcudbright

Funder: Frances Cairncross CBE FRSE, Hamish McCrae, Mrs Margaret Powell and Dr Margaret Robinson

Liz and Alastair Penman – Stewartry Archaeological Trust

Excavation (2011)

NX 8812 5505 and NX 8810 5485 A tenth season of excavation by volunteer diggers and students from various British universities has continued, despite very bad weather conditions during the 2011 season. Previous work has been reported in DES 2003, 44; 2005, 42; 2006, 48; 2007, 60; 2008, 51; 2009, 54 and 2010, 52.

A further major cremation burial (No.59), which contained two separate deposits, one under a small internal capstone, and both covered with a flat-topped stone weighing over one tonne, was excavated. The interior had been cobbled with great care with small granite and shale flat-topped stones and each cremation pit was outlined with small beach pebbles. A shale rubbing stone, c40 x 50mm, was removed from within the uncovered cremation pit. Due to chemical reactions caused by fluctuations in the water table over the last 4000 years no cremation remains, or artefacts consisting of organic material, such as wood, leather or antler have been recovered from the site to date.

A further cremation burial (No.61) was excavated and planned, but also failed to yield any datable material. This burial differed from those previously excavated, as instead of numerous small stones and pebbles being used in the internal cobbling, the bottom of the grave consisted of 12 large flat granite slabs, with the cremation pit situated at the W end, on its own, in a small annexe delineated with small granite and shale pebbling. Two further cremation burials have been identified and will be excavated in 2012 when, hopefully, the water table will be lower.

The Satellite Cairn immediately adjacent to the N cairn produced one further cremation burial, deposited in a central pit under a large granite capstone. Just to the S of the northern perimeter of the kerb of the cairn evidence of a medieval timber construction was excavated. This structure took the form of a rectangular shape consisting of 25-30 postholes (to date) and appears to have been a two room building with cobbled floors, which had been inserted into a clay layer. The structure measured c11m W–E by 9m N S, with a doorway at the NE end. Further excavation of this feature will take place in 2012.

To the N of the satellite cairn the flat granite stone foundations of an Anglian building overlain by the random boulder foundations of a medieval building have been excavated. A doorway opens northwards into a cobbled yard and set against the inside wall are the remains of a hearth. Outside in the area beyond the yard there is evidence of some form of industrial or agricultural activity. This takes the form of a long, clay-lined pit, which has displayed its long term efficiency by holding 0.5m of water for most of the season, thus preventing any further investigation. The pit measures 2.4m in width at the its S end and continues N into the base of a motte hill, which adjoins the site, for 11.5m where it narrows to just under 3m wide. One hypothesis was that this feature may have been a burnt mound; however, the dating of adjacent features refuted this theory.

Archive: The Stewartry Museum, Kirkcudbright

Funder: Dumfries and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society, Hamish McCrae, Mrs Margaret Powell and Broughton Anderson

Liz and Alastair Penman – Stewartry Archaeological Trust 2011

Excavation (July 2015 - October 2015)

NX 8812 5505 A fourteenth season of excavation by volunteer diggers has continued, July – October 2015, at the North Cairn. Previous work has been reported in DES 2003, 44; 2005, 42; 2006, 48; 2007, 60; 2008, 51; 2009, 54–5; 2010, 52; 2011, 59; 2012, 56–7; 2013, 60; 2014, 54–55.

Several more prehistoric cremation burials have been identified in the southern part of the North Cairn. These were all small, oval features with only one small tea-cup sized cremation pit in each. These were carefully cobbled with small stones surrounded on the rim with larger granite pebbles. The base and sides of some had been cobbled and were topped with a flat-topped capstone. In two cases the small capstone was a recycled stone hammer as opposed to the usual random flat-topped granite boulder set in place over cushion stones of various sizes and the several burials here yielded two hone stones and a stone arrowhead.

In the earliest trench the stone foundations of a medieval building with postholes set behind or in front of them were uncovered and recorded. This feature can be dated by the previous finds of local galena-glazed pottery and various cupro-bronze artefacts dating from the 13th/14th centuries AD. In the immediate vicinity of this feature evidence was uncovered of postholes relating to the end part of a medieval rectangular timber building. This feature will be pursued next season. At present no datable material has been recovered, but its close proximity and level to the above mentioned medieval feature has led to speculation that it may be of similar date.

Another trench to the W and S of the medieval wall has yielded a mysterious feature consisting of a S-facing downwards sloping clay and stone lined channel running from the cut into the upper level of the cairn and has opened into a clay lined circular pit served by the channel which ran under a 5 ton capstone covering an Early Bronze Age boatshaped burial and into the burial pit. The cobbled feature itself would appear to have been used as some form of sump or water supply feature with the huge capstone still in place.

However, at this stage the date and function of this feature and two distinct pillar stones is unclear. A large posthole was excavated nearby and the similarity of this to the post pits for large timbers, excavated elsewhere on site, was noted. It is hoped that further excavation of this area, which was

flooded during torrential September rain, will take place at a future date.

On the perimeter of the satellite cairn and the S perimeter of the North Cairn it became apparent that there was evidence of a defensive feature surrounding the base of the motte hill. Previous excavation had uncovered a linear area of timber palisade leading from the S of the motte hill into its bailey.

Excavation in 2015 provided evidence of a turf wall capped with large granite boulders joining this feature. The turf wall leading to a stone founded causeway or platform extending from the ancient Barnhourie Loch feature, across the waters of the loch into the base of the motte hill. The causeway

leads directly into a deep 7.1m long pit. This pit contains two massive postholes set into bedrock, which may have supported a gate and at least three subsidiary postholes to the S of the main ones. The causeway is in line with the two major postholes in the pit. On the far side of the gateway pit a stone construction of sockets has lead to speculation that there may have been a timber bridge across the gateway, which then ran uphill towards the construction at the top of the motte hill.

Research has confirmed that the bailey was in juxtaposition on top of part of the earlier prehistoric burial area. Several timber buildings were built over the later level of the cairn. Further excavation in 2016 may answer outstanding questions relating to this fine example of a medieval defensive structure.

Archive and reports: The Stewartry Museum, Kirkcudbright

Funder: Lt Gen Sir Norman and Lady Jillian Arthur and Dr Donna Moore

Liz and Alastair Penman – The Stewartry Archaeological Trust

(Source: DES, Volume 16)

Excavation (July 2016 - October 2016)

NX 8812 5505 A fifteenth season of excavation by volunteer diggers has continued, July – October 2016. Previous work has been reported in DES 2003, 44; 2005, 42; 2006, 48; 2007, 60; 2008, 51; 2009, 54–5; 2010, 52; 2011, 59; 2012, 56–7; 2013, 60; 2014, 54–5; 2015,54–5.

The medieval motte and bailey feature continued to be examined and the causeway entrance leading from the edge of the loch to the perimeter of the kerb of the cairn and then into the timber gateway pit was sectioned. This confirmed that the base of the causeway was constructed of medium and large granite and shale boulders set into grey loch bottom clay. The present hypothesis is that a walkway, bridge or similar had been laid over a stone foundation up to the level of the entrance to the gate. Excavation on the motte hill began from the gateway uphill to determine the location of steps or similar leading from the gate to the summit and revealed a plethora of postholes of varying sizes underneath a dark soil of downhill erosion from the summit. Timbers had been set into the original orange/brown clay and soil level of the natural hillside and two large clay infills were also recorded set into this surface. These have yet to be

investigated. Two datable artefacts were recovered from the erosion debris at the foot of the hill. One was part of a small bronze key and the other a bronze strip with a rivet hole in one corner. The key fragment has been identified as being of 12th century AD date.

A finely cobbled and well-walked upon area was defined between the timber defences, parallel to the gateway and the outer stone founded defence wall pointing to some form of permanent use within the inner and outer areas of the defences.

A further four early cremation burials were identified in the eastern trench and two of these have been excavated to date. Neither had a capstone in place and the burials were underneath a medieval cobbled floor dating to the 13th century AD. The remaining two burials both have large orthostats overlying them, suggesting that they have remained undisturbed. The juxtapositioned burials both contained small cobbled cremation pits, one had two and the other three, one of which had, set into it, an offering of a

small polished quartz pebble.

Further excavation in the western trench revealed evidence of buildings in the form of two platforms with finely cobbled surfaces set into loch clay and on three sides of each there was evidence of soakaways running downhill to the S. Although no definite dating evidence has been recovered from either of these floor features the adjacent trench, immediately to the N, contained similar platforms and dating evidence of 13th-century occupation was recovered from that location.

A number of granite stones bearing rock art and postulated industrial working marks were identified on two separate occasions by independent geologists. Excavation next season will continue to answer some of the outstanding questions pending on both the fine example of a medieval defensive structure of the 12th/13th centuries and early burials of the Bronze Age.

Research has confirmed that the bailey at Newbarns is a juxtaposition adapted on top of part of an earlier prehistoric burial area. Similarly, several timber buildings were also set in place over the earlier features by raising up and flattening the earlier levels on the cairn.

Archive and reports: The Stewartry Museum, Kirkcudbright

Funder: Lt Gen Sir Norman and Lady Jillian Arthur, Dr Donna Moore and Mr Jeremiah Clepps

Liz and Alastair Penman – The Stewartry Archaeological Trust

(Source: DES, Volume 17)

Excavation (July 2017 - October 2017)

NX 8812 5505 A sixteenth season of excavation by volunteer diggers and university students continued, July – October 2017. Previous work has been reported in DES 2003, 44; 2005, 42; 2006, 48; 2007, 60; 2008, 51; 2009, 54–5; 2010, 52; 2011, 59; 2012, 56–7; 2013, 60; 2014, 54–5; 2015, 54–5; 2016, 45.

The medieval motte and bailey feature continued to be examined. Excavation on the motte hill continued from last season and began from the gateway and moved uphill to determine the location of steps or similar leading from the gate slot up the hillside to the summit. A plethora of

postholes of varying sizes were recorded underneath a dark soil over a light brown natural level of downhill erosion from the summit. Timbers and a large stone orthostat had been set into the original orange/brown clay and soil level of the natural hillside, and several large clay infills were also

in evidence set into this same surface. These remain to be investigated, but the present hypothesis is that they are some form of consolidation for a staircase on a steep level. Three datable artefacts have been recovered from the erosion debris at the foot of the hill giving a late 12th- early 13th- century date.

A further 14 early cremation burials were identified in the eastern trench and several, including some underneath a medieval cobbled floor, were in process of excavation when the rains came and flooded the former loch site. With the water table having risen several inches throughout September, excavation has had to be restricted; however, some planning

and recording was continued. A second polished quartz pebble and a flint tool were recovered from two of the burials and a medium sized cup-marked sandstone capstone was found to be covering one of the smaller Iron Age cremation pits.

Sections of the perimeter of the original granite and shale kerb cairn were uncovered and revealed the remnant of a c2m wide wall base or kerb, which had been robbed in antiquity. Three sondages running westwards from the kerb were inserted into the former loch bottom and one of those

proved to hold the remains of the carefully cobbled base of a causeway, possibly an underwater one, leading from the edge of the North Cairn into another hypothetical small cairn to the E of the larger North Cairn. A further similar feature of approximately the same size has been identified to the S of the North Cairn between it and the excavated and the now closed South Cairn. The present speculation is that the cairns may all have been joined by causeways and that the premise must now be that this is the site of a

prehistoric village consisting of five stone-built features set into the drained southern end of Newbarns Loch as well as the hill which, most recently, served in medieval times as a motte hill, the caput of a “Dreng” from Cumbria. The postulated juxtaposition of this feature leads the excavators to assume that a much earlier use was put to the summit,

but unfortunately the truth will never be known due to the activities of 19th-century quarrymen armed with high explosive!

Further excavation in the western trench was hampered by a nocturnal visit from metal detectorists who inflicted some damage and this resulted in running repairs having to be instituted which took up some valuable time. In the same trench a large granite capstone flanked by two massive postholes were uncovered underneath a medieval cobbled floor and have yet to be examined.

Excavation next season will continue to answer some of the outstanding questions pending on the medieval defensive structure of the 12th/13th centuries, the sondage extensions to the eastern perimeter of the kerb cairn and a plethora of sodden prehistoric cremation burials dating from the Early Bronze Age through to the late Iron Age.

Archive and reports: The Stewartry Museum, Kirkcudbright

Elizabeth and Alistair Penman - The Stewartry Archaeological Trust

(Source: DES, Volume 18)

Excavation (July 2018 - September 2018)

NX 8812 5505 A seventeenth season of excavation by volunteer diggers and university students continued through July – September 2018. Previous work has been reported in DES 2003, 44; 2005, 42; 2006, 48; 2007, 60; 2008, 51; 2009, 54–5; 2010, 52; 2011, 59; 2012, 56–7; 2013, 60; 2014, 54–5; 2015, 54–5; 2016, 45; 2017, 65.

The medieval motte hill continued to be excavated from the gateway upwards towards the summit of the hill. In 2018 it was determined that the timber steps, which had low risers, were much larger in area than had been envisaged. Should it have been necessary, then, it would have been possible to lead a horse over the causeway and through the gateway and thence uphill. More evidence of downhill erosion was obvious and the presence of several large glacial erratics testified to the need to have supported part of the stairway to prevent its collapse. It is possible that one or more large boulders in the immediate vicinity of the stairway may have been the result of local quarriers using dynamite to acquire building material for some of the adjacent properties in the 1860 – 70s. One further small piece of bronze with a rivet hole was retrieved from the bottom of the stairway where it had lodged up against the upper granite anchor point of the hypothesised drawbridge.

The four SW sondages produced more evidence of the robbed-out kerb of the cairn with the smaller foundation stones of the base quite evident in all four locations. Beyond the kerb is a small perimeter cremation burial. One stakehole outside the kerb yielded the point of a shaped stake with the marks of a cutting tool quite pronounced. Further evidence of a gateway pit was uncovered in one part of the E perimeter leading onto a causeway constructed between the cairn and a further feature to the E.

The main trench (No 6/8) produced several more Early Bronze Age burials under very large granite capstones. Only one could be easily removed by hand and then returned to its original position over surrounding granite cushion stones. In the centre of this burial, under the capstone, a cremation burial pit, neatly cobbled with small red and white granite stones, was revealed. There was no remaining evidence of a deposit, which is common to most of the smaller burials. A clay surface was exposed underneath a medieval level, a juxtaposition, already excavated and a plethora of further later cremation pits were uncovered. Only three of those supported small granite capstones with a number of smaller granite cushion stones supporting them ensuring that the top of the capstone was level. To date a total of 115 cremation deposits and 2 Neolithic passage graves have been identified and recorded. No further grave deposit goods have been found, although a flint tool was recovered from one of last season’s flooded burials which drained at the start of this season.

Research and excavation continues unabated into 2019!

Archive and reports: Stored with the excavation principals

Sponsors: Lt Gen Sir Norman and Lady Jillian Arthur, Kenneth Phillips, Hugh McRae, Lynn Ferguson, Jeremiah Clepps, EJ Penman, Mr and Mrs A Christison, Mr and Mrs P Sharkey

Elizabeth and Alastair Penman – The Stewartry Archaeological Trust

(Source: DES Vol 19)

Excavation (July 2019 - September 2019)

NX 8812 5505 The eighteenth season of excavation by volunteer diggers continued through July to September 2019. Previous excavation has been reported in DES since 2003.

The western side of the cairn area was extended further eastwards from the robbed out kerb of the north cairn into a boggy area and towards another putative kerb cairn joined by a cobbled area bearing evidence of a timber gateway set into a stone based wall. Five 1m wide sondages were extended a short way and set in place to enable the team to follow the base line of the robbed kerb of the north cairn. One small cobble lined burial was uncovered outside the kerb and yielded a small flint scraper, not of local material, set underneath a granite stone in a cobbled floor. Beside it was evidence of a burnt sharpened post the end of which was still set into the soil. The remnants of an undated rectangular granite based building were identified at the northern edge of the trench. Further ingress had to be abandoned as the entire trenched area was flooded by a rapidly rising water table.

The main trench (Trench No 6/8) continued to produce a plethora of small circular post holes and several small burials with granite capstones over them. It appears that the post holes formed part of a round-house and the burials were placed to the north of any construction. The burials were all were very similar being cobbled with small flat grey and red granite stones with the flat surfaces to the inside with the exception of one which had no cobbling but had been lined with boulder clay.

By the end of the season, a total of 146 burials from all prehistoric periods had been exposed over the 16 years in which the Trust had been excavating on the North Cairn at Newbarns Loch. Only one was from the early occupation with a dateable passage grave excavated early in the project. This was in addition to those exposed on the South Cairn which has now been closed.

The possibility of what had been a large oven backfilled and covered with boulder clay in the medieval era was exposed in the centre of the main trench. Filled with huge granite erratics – surmised as having been capstones taken from or originally used over prehistoric burials later judicially reused – which is very similar to the same items further north on Roman sites in Ayrshire

Funder: Private individuals

Lisbet & Alastair Penman – The Stewartry Archaeological Trust

(Source: DES Vol 20)

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