Site Event/Activity record EHG3165 - Excavation - Chapel Hill, Ballachly, Dunbeath

Location

Location Chapel Hill, Ballachly, Dunbeath
Grid reference Centred ND 1569 3035 (91m by 103m)
Map sheet ND13SE
Operational Area CAITHNESS SUTHERLAND AND EASTER ROSS
Civil Parish LATHERON
Geographical Area CAITHNESS

Technique(s)

Organisation

University of Nottingham

Date

June-July 2009

Map

Description

Continuing excavations were carried out by the University of Nottingham at the possible early Christian monastic site at Ballachly near Dunbeath in 2009. Several of the trenches from the previous season (Trenches VI and VII and see EHG2992) were re-opened and extended. Trench V was dug to see if what appeared as a cropmark in 1968 was an archaeological feature. Trench X was excavated on the platform at the base of Chapel Hill, but natural sand and gravel was recorded below the topsoil. Trench XI was dug to the north of Chapel Hill and north of Wall B. Again natural sand and gravel was found below the topsoil but at the southern end there was evidence of an occupation level above the natural. Trench XII was excavated on top of the hill, involving clearance of tumble from an area coinciding with the putative chapel and a smaller area coinciding with a circular feature noted in previous surveys. These two areas were subsequently joined by a strip. Trench XIII was a small sondage dug at the base of Wall A, where it had been robbed to ground level. <1>

Sources/Archives (1)

  • <1> Text/Publication/Article: Laing, L.. 2010. Chapel and Graveyard, Ballachly, Dunbeath: Excavation. Discovery and Excavation in Scotland Vol. 9 (2010). 108-9. Paper (Original).

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Record last edited

Jul 3 2014 3:35PM

Comments and Feedback

Do you have any more information about this record? Please feel free to comment with information and photographs, or ask any questions, using the "Disqus" tool below. Comments are moderated, and we aim to respond/publish as soon as possible.