Monument record MHG28197 - Dornoch, Meadows Business Park

NH78NE 73 797 895

NH 797 895 A watching brief was commissioned by Highland Council Archaeology Service on a site to S of former bishop's palace (now Bishops Hotel) on S edge of burgh of Dornoch. The watching brief, first archaeological project to have been carried out in town, involved monitoring topsoil stripping and groundworks associated with development of a new business park and was carried out in late May. Cut into buried sand dunes were truncated remains of a substantial post-medieval ditch, possibly of a defensive enclosure, numerous ditches forming enclosures and at least one building, pits and several hearth-like features, together with a large quantity of slag and burnt clay (including a tuyere), all sealed below a deep deposit of medieval cultivation soil.
The watching brief on this site and searches by a local metal detectorist yielded a varied assemblage of medieval and post-medieval artefacts. Finds of medieval date include copper-alloy objects such as a small bell, a lobate stud or boss, a strap end and numerous other fittings. A bone pin beater fragment and several corroded iron artefacts were also recovered. Later material includes a number of buttons, an openwork brooch and several clay pipe fragments. Coins of James IV, James VI, Charles I and Charles II were also found.
Sponsor: Highland Council.A Cox, R Coleman and C Millar 1997