Monument record MHG32413 - Palisaded enclosure - Oldtown of Leys, Culduthel, Inverness

An oval-shaped palisaded enclosure with a possible ring-ditch within the interior. A putative entrance may be seen either to the west or north-east. There are possible cremation pits within. (NMRS 2004)

In May 2005, an archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Headland Archaeology on Phase 5 of a proposed housing development at Culduthel Mains Farm. The main objective was to locate and investigate a palisaded enclosure that was visible as a cropmark. The evaluation confirmed the location of the enclosure and uncovered a variety of features that proved some settlement activity was present inside the enclosure and across the whole evaluated area. <1>

A full topsoil strip was carried out by Headland Archaeology and Alba Archaeology in 2005 which uncovered the remains of a substantial Iron Age settlement and industrial centre to the northeast and northwest of the enclosure. The oval enclosure itself measured 51m x 42m and had a 1.75m wide entrance that faced southwest. Preservation was good and it survived to a depth of up to 0.8m. Packing stones were abundant throughout with two tiers of edge-set slabs forming packing at the terminals. Internal features consisted of a few truncated pits and postholes. A 'four-poster' was the only obvious structure. It was not clear whether the internal features were contemporary with the enclosure and while their location may have implied this, it could also have been an accident of preservation and many features could have been lost through plough truncation. <2>

Further analysis and final dating of the finds assemblage and site in general are awaited.