Monument record MHG54070 - Medieval/Post medieval occupation, The Square, Dornoch

Initial evaluation at The Square, Dornoch, involved the excavation of 4 trenches. These recorded a number of features pre-dating the structural remains of the hotel, which likely dates from the early 19th-century.

A number of sandstone drains, walls and cobbled surfaces were recorded. It is suggested that the drains could represent part of a wider network of drains across Dornoch, as part of improvements to the sanitation of Dornoch during the 18th century. It is possible that the drains date to improvements made to Dornoch by the Duke of Sutherland between 1811 and 1816, whioch included the straightening the town's burn.

The cobbled surfaces could relate to a building shown on a map of 1811, but not of 1832. <1>

Further drains and a boundary, possibly pre-dating the hotel were recorded during further work carried out, archaeologically excavating foundation trenches prior to development. <2>