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Dundee, 'east Port'

Archaeological Feature (Period Unassigned)

Site Name Dundee, 'east Port'

Classification Archaeological Feature (Period Unassigned)

Canmore ID 83404

Site Number NO43SW 130

NGR NO 406 306

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/83404

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Dundee, City Of
  • Parish Dundee (Dundee, City Of)
  • Former Region Tayside
  • Former District City Of Dundee
  • Former County Angus

Archaeology Notes

NO43SW 130 406 306

Four trial trenches were machine excavated, in advance of development. The site was considered to have archaeological potential relating to the medieval burgh and its defences. The trial work indicated that 19th to 20th-century development had eradicated much of the earlier phases of activity, but features and deposits relating to the medieval period were recorded.

On the S side of the site, below modern rubble, were clay-bonded wall features, aligned E to W and constructed over a backfilled ditch. The fill of the ditch contained a small, but interesting, assemblage of animal bone. Beneath the ditch fill were flagstones flanked by clay layers. It is tentatively believed that the ditch feature may relate to the town defences (NO43SW 12).

Sponsor: Scottish Enterprise Tayside.

R Cachart 1993.

Activities

Excavation (1993)

Four trial trenches were machine excavated, in advance of development. The site was considered to have archaeological potential relating to the medieval burgh and its defences. The trial work indicated that 19th to 20th-century development had eradicated much of the earlier phases of activity, but features and deposits relating to the medieval period were recorded.

On the S side of the site, below modern rubble, were clay-bonded wall features, aligned E to W and constructed over a backfilled ditch. The fill of the ditch contained a small, but interesting, assemblage of animal bone. Beneath the ditch fill were flagstones flanked by clay layers. It is tentatively believed that the ditch feature may relate to the town defences (NO43SW 12).

Sponsor: Scottish Enterprise Tayside.

R Cachart 1993.

It was hoped to locate the course of the town's late medieval defensive wall and find evidence concerning its date and the nature of its construction. It was also thought that it might be possible to examine the remains of early property boundaries, structures and deposits associated with development within the walls as well as establish medieval land usage outwith the defences. [2]

Trench C was located on the perimeter of the site at the end of a property division which was on a north to south alignment with the Wishart Arch. The trench was aligned east to west and was 11m in length. The eastern end of the trench quickly came onto natural sandy gravel. At the western end, the north side of the trench was for the most part formed by a vertical bank of modern unrevetted make-up about 2.50m high which carried the ground floor of a recently demolished industrial building. This make-up consisted of deposits of sand and rubble.. Below modern rubble make-up were two clay-bonded wall features… aligned east to west. These appeared to represent two phases of construction over a backfilled ditch, aligned north to south, about 4m wide and 1.20m deep.

There were two identifiable ditch fills… of silty clay and a dump of loose rubble… These fills contained a small, but interesting assemblage of late medieval pottery as well as a relatively substantial amount of animal bone… Beneath the ditch fill were large flagstones…, coated with a thin layer of black silt. The flagstones were flanked by sloping clay layers…; these were not remaoved. It is tentatively believed that the ditch feature may relate to the town defences. Natural consisted of orange sandy gravel… loose brown sand… and brown gravel.

The ditch feature in Trench C is very close to the proposed line of the town defences and may well have formed part of these medieval defences. The clay and flagstones on the ditch sides and bottom may be a watertight seal to counter erosion. After the ditch went out of use it was rapidly backfilled with deposits containing late medieval or post-medieval pottery and bone.

The uncoursed wall features were constructed over the infilled ditch and appear to represent two phases of development which, judging by the clay bonding, could well date to the post-medieval period. Unfortunately it was not possible to ascertain the function of these walls but they may have formed the frontages of early development along the north side of Seagate.

In an attempt to level this area for industrial development, the earlier features were buried under modern make-up of rubble and sand which reached a depth of over 2m.

Although the trial work located important remains in Trench C these were well sealed below the present surface level and were not considered to be threatened by the development.

The Trust believes the trial work has shown that important archaeological remains still survive below the present surface in the area of the East Port, particularly close to the projected line of the town's defences. As well as adding to the archaeological record of Dundee, the results of the

work will be significant in considering the archaeological implications of any future development on the site.

Information from SUAT

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