Monument record MHG55055 - Possible building, north of Littleferry Cottage, Littleferry

During a watching brief in March 2011 an electricity cable trench was observed to cut through an apparent building constructed on a level platform, which had been cut into the face of a slopng sand-dune. This had an internal width of c2m, with a back (N) wall c0.5m wide which was constructed on slight stone footings. There was a notable absence of any demolition stone on either side of the observed footings. The back wall might have been of turf which collapsed and became levelled during the formation of a back garden. The top soil over the structure, though up to 3 times the average depth of top soil in the back garden, was indistinguishable in structure, texture and colour from the back garden top soil as a whole.
The bowl shaped trough of black sand and two small possible packing stones suggests a possible groove for a front (S) timber wall made of planks or posts. A possible occupation surface within the building was suggested by a fine black sandy deposit but no finds were recovered nor was any charcoal noted in the deposit. The deposit spread for some distance either side of the observed walls. <1>

It is suggested elsewhere in <1> (p12) that the black deposit could be a natural accumulation within the subsoil. Cf the midden deposits described in MHG32679. <2>