Site Event/Activity record EHG1362 - Watching brief - Culloden Battlefield Memorial Project

A watching brief was maintained by CFA Archaeology Ltd in 2005 during the excavation of geotechnical test pits and boreholes in advance of the construction of new visitor facilities at the Culloden Battlefield site. The geotechnical survey was carried out by Geotechnics Ltd. The excavations by mechanical excavator were carried out under constant archaeological supervision. A metal detector was also used to check the test pit and borehole locations prior to excavation and to check topsoil spoil heaps afterwards. Seven test pits were excavated: Test pit 1 was 3.5m x 1m and was 3.6m deep; Test pit 1a was 2m x 1m and was approximately 3m in depth; Test pit 2 was 3.5m x 1m and 3m deep; Test pit 3 was 3.5m x 1m and 3.6m deep; Test pit 4 was 3.5m x 1m and was 3m deep; Test pit 5 was 1m x 1m and 1m deep; Test pit 5a was 1m x 1m and was 1m deep; Test pit 6 was 1m x 1m and was 1m deep; Test pit 7 was 3.5m x 1m and was 3.6m deep and Test pit 7a was 1m x 1.2m and was 3.6m deep. Prior to the drilling of the boreholes three 1m x 1m trenches were stripped to the surface of the subsoil in preparation for drilling. In all cases, test pits and borehole locations, no archaeological features were encountered and no artefacts were recovered either visually or by the metal detector. <1>