Site Event/Activity record EHG3927 - Evaluation - Near Clunes House, Cromarty

A severe storm in December 2012 caused significant erosion to the coastline at the eastern end of Cromarty, exposing a sequence of archaeological deposits along the shore path to the South Sutor, between 60-120m east of Clunes House. The combination of high tides with a significant ground swell truncated the core footpath between Cromarty and the South Sutor. This had the effect of shearing away the turf and grass foreshore to reveal four major exposures. Preliminary archaeological investigation of the deposits exposed by the storm revealed extensive and well-stratified midden material relating to Medieval and later occupation on the site. Initial investigations along the shore included cleaning and recording of the sections, section excavation of a drystone-built wall and the recovery of artefacts from the sequence. The Medieval deposits in particular may relate to settlement activity associated with the original core of the burgh of Cromarty, a period for which there are limited historical records. <1>