CFA ARCHAEOLOGY LTD

June 2008

Commissioned by Historic Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Ministers

This document has been prepared in accordance with CFA Archaeology Ltd standard operatingprocedures.

Author: Date

Approved by: Date

Draft/Final Report Stage: FINAL

Author: Phil Richardson BA MA FSA Scot PIFAIllustrations: Leeanne Whitelaw BSc MAAISEditor: Melanie Johnson MA PhD FSA Scot MIFA

CFA Archaeology LtdThe Old Engine House

Eskmills Park, MusselburghEast Lothian, EH21 7PQ

Tel: 0131 273 4380Fax: 0131 273 4381

Email: cfa@cfa-archaeology.co.uk

A830 Upgrading: Loch Nan Uamh to Arisaig,Lochaber, Highland.

Archaeological Watching Brief.

Data Structure Report:No. 1360

A830/1360/1 2 CFA

CONTENTS

1. Introduction 3

2. Working Methods 4

3. Archaeological Results 5

4. Discussion 8

5. References 9

APPENDICES

1. Context Register 10

2. Drawings Register 11

3. Samples Register 12

4. Photographic Register 13

5. Finds Register 15

6. Draft Discovery and Excavation in Scotland Entry 16

ILLUSTRATIONS (Bound at Rear)

Fig. 1 Location and route maps showing the upgraded A830 and the sites describedin the text

Fig. 2 Borrodale West, location of archaeological features

Fig. 3 Borrodale East, location of archaeological features

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 General

1.1.1 This report describes the results of a programme of archaeological worksundertaken by CFA Archaeology Ltd (CFA) between July and August 2007.These took place within the corridor of the proposed A830 Fort William toMallaig Trunk Road upgrading, between Loch Nan Uamh and Arisaig (Fig.1). The work was commissioned by Historic Scotland, on behalf of theScottish Ministers.

1.1.2 Following previous work undertaken by CFA in 2005 (Suddaby 2005a,2005b; Suddaby & White 2005), defined areas of the corridor at Arisaig,Borrodale and Brunary Burn were identified as requiring monitoring duringtopsoil stripping as part of the mitigation programme. This process led to afurther programme of excavations at Borrodale.

1.2 Background

1.2.1 The upgraded road from Loch Nan Uamh to Arisaig will replace the lastremaining stretch of single-track trunk road in Scotland. This work representsthe final phase of the wider upgrading of the A830 between Lochailort andMallaig, previous phases (Rees 1996, Carter et al 2005) having taken placeover the last decade.

1.2.2 ASH Design compiled a Cultural Heritage Assessment of the proposeddevelopment in 2003 for inclusion in the Environmental Statement preparedby The Highland Council (ASH 2003). In 2005, Historic Scotland, on behalfof the Scottish Ministers, commissioned CFA Archaeology Ltd to update thedesk-based assessment and conduct a walk-over survey of the route (Suddaby2005a). An invasive evaluation followed (Suddaby 2005b), which led toexcavations of a burnt mound at Arisaig, potentially prehistoric pits andclearance cairns at Borrodale, and post-medieval buildings at Brunary Burn(Suddaby & White 2005), and that report included proposals for the workdescribed here. Other work associated with the upgrading included a buildingsurvey and the recovery of a peat core from Carnach Bog (Cressey & Verrill2006).

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2. WORKING METHODS

2.1 General

2.1.1 All work was conducted in accordance with the Historic Scotland ProjectDesign and the Institute of Field Archaeologists’ Codes of Conduct andAppropriate Standards.

2.1.2 Recording of all elements followed established CFA methods, principally bycompleting standard CFA record forms, drawing in both plan and section, andby photography. The excavation trenches were located in relation to fixedcontrol points using industry standard electronic survey equipment

2.2 Watching Brief

2.2.1 All topsoil and modern overburden was stripped from the three sites using atracked 360° excavator equipped with a smooth bladed ditching bucket, underconstant archaeological supervision.

2.3 Excavation

2.3.1 During the excavations, areas containing archaeological remains were cleanedby hand in order to further define the nature and number of these features,which were then excavated following established CFA methods.

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3. ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESULTS

3.1 Introduction

3.1.1 This section describes in turn the results of the topsoil strip monitoringundertaken at Arisaig, Brunary Burn and Borrodale (Fig. 1), and thesubsequent excavation at Borrodale (Figs 2-3).

3.1.2 Numbers in bold (e.g. 001) refer to context numbers, summary descriptions ofwhich are in Appendix 1.

3.2 Arisaig

3.2.1 The monitoring of topsoil stripping was conducted between Chainage (CH)CH11+200 and CH11+350.

3.2.2 No features of archaeological significance were found. Field drainscontaining clay pipes were recorded in the improved field to the west of the2005 excavation area, and a lens of burnt material, related to the previousexcavation of the burnt mound (Suddaby & White 2005), was noted along thenorthern edge of the monitored area.

3.3 Brunary Burn

3.3.1 The monitoring of topsoil stripping was conducted between CH13+000 andCH13+100.

3.3.2 The remains of both post-medieval structures previously excavated (Suddaby& White 2005) were removed by mechanical excavator under constantarchaeological supervision; no trace of earlier structures or other underlyingfeatures were noted. No other features of archaeological significance werefound.

3.4 Borrodale

3.4.1 This section describes the results of the topsoil strip monitoring andsubsequent excavation at Borrodale to the east (CH15+100 to CH15+300) andwest (CH14+900 to CH15+100) of the Borrodale Burn.

3.4.2 These areas were adjacent to the previous excavation at Borrodale (Suddaby& White 2005).

Borrodale West

3.4.3 The monitored area lay on the western side of the Borrodale Burn and just tothe north of the existing A830. The 2005 excavation revealed over sixtypoorly defined and truncated small pits, linear ditches and two probableclearance cairns. During the monitored topsoil strip, forty-eight possiblefeatures were identified.

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3.4.4 During the subsequent excavation, the site was cleaned and planned. Ninefeatures were considered to have archaeological potential. The remainderwere discounted, upon investigation, as being non-anthropogenic in origin.

3.4.5 The locations of the seven pits (202, 1006, 1007, 1012, 1022 and 1023, 1033)and two linear features (1030 and 1027) are shown on Fig. 2 and are describedbelow. All were shallow. The cuts were poorly defined and the depositionalsequence in the vertical profile was often more complex than was apparent inplan. Lithics were recovered from unstratified context 1000.

3.4.6 A shallow circular pit (202) had a diameter of 0.56m and was 0.6m deep. Itcontained a fill of grey-black, mottled gritty silt (203).

3.4.7 A pit (1006) measuring 0.58m long by 0.66m wide by 0.32m deep contained asingle light brown fill (1004), within which were set a number of large stones(1008). This cut an earlier feature (1007) measuring 1m long by 0.7m wideby 0.24m deep, which again contained a single fill (1005) and stones (1011).

3.4.8 An amorphous pit (1012), measuring 1.42m long by 0.94m wide by 0.14mdeep, had been affected by root action and contained a single black silty fill(1002), the edges of which were merging and indistinct. Two lithics werefound in the fill.

3.4.9 Pit 1022 was 0.7m long by 0.62m wide by 0.28m deep and contained a blacksilty sand fill (1019).

3.4.10 A pit (1023) measuring 0.88m long by 0.6m wide by 0.28m deep wasexcavated in the east of the area; it contained a brown sandy silt fill (1024)banded by a white gravel deposit (1025). A black fill (1016) was presentwithin the centre of fill 1024 and may be the remains of a post-pipe.

3.4.11 Two linear features were also investigated. Feature 1027 (3.28m long by0.42m wide by 0.32m deep) was aligned NNW-SSE and contained two fills.A black silt (1017) overlay a silty sand (1026) which appeared to representnatural infilling. Feature 1030 (5.2m long by 0.26m wide by 0.14m deep) wasaligned NW-SE and contained a single mid-grey silty sand fill. This was cutby an oval pit (1033), which contained a very similar mid-grey silty sand fill(1032).

Borrodale East

3.4.12 The monitored area (Fig. 1) lies on the eastern side of the Borrodale Burn andjust to the north of the existing A830. Evaluation trenching undertaken in2005 noted a number of poorly defined features, some containing modernfinds.

3.4.13 The monitored topsoil strip revealed ten possible features. During thesubsequent excavation, the site was cleaned and planned. Six features (Fig. 3)were considered to have archaeological potential. The remainder werediscounted, upon investigation, as being non-anthropogenic in origin.

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3.4.14 Four possible pits (200, 1039, 1058 and 1064), a lintelled drain (1052) and ashallow feature (1036) were excavated. The cuts were poorly defined and thedepositional sequence in the vertical profile was often more complex than wasapparent in plan. No finds were recovered from the features.

3.4.15 A shallow circular pit 200 (diameter 0.6m by 0.06m deep) contained a fill ofgrey-black, mottled gritty silt (201).

3.4.16 Pit 1039 was a large oval feature (1.8m long by 1.26m wide by 0.32m deep),containing a light grey silty sand fill (1035). Below this, a 0.14m deep depositof stones (1038) had been placed in the centre of the feature, on top of a basalsilty fill (1037).

3.4.17 A similar pit (1058) (1.8m long by 1m wide by 0.32m deep) contained aquartz chip in its primary fill (1061), under a deposit (1060) of red sand andgravel. This feature had been badly affected by root action and was overlainby a heavily rooted silty deposit containing modern ceramics (1059).

3.4.18 A pit (1064) (0.46m long by 0.4m wide by 0.1m deep) contained a brownsandy silt fill (1066). A black fill (1065) was present within the fill and maybe the remains of a post-pipe.

3.4.19 Drain 1052 ran along the top of the improved grass field and was intended tocollect run-off from the hill above. It was edged with small stones (1054) andwas intermittently lintelled with both flat slabs and re-used slates (1055). Thefill (1053) contained 18th century ceramics.

3.4.20 Context 1036, a black silty deposit, filled a shallow hollow (4.6m long by3.6m wide by 0.32m deep) and was partially overlain by a colluvial deposit tothe east (1043). Fill 1036 partially overlay another, earlier, colluvial layer(1042). A very similar deposit (1041) was found to be a continuation of 1036.These deposits seem to represent a phase of soil accumulation, as thesediments within this hollow have been partially buried. A deposit of burntmaterial (1045) cutting 1036, originally noted in evaluation Trench 3, wasalso recorded.

3.5 Finds (by Sue Anderson)

3.5.1 Potentially prehistoric finds included a small quartz chip from the primary pitfill of 1061, two lithics from the fill of pit 1012, and unstratified lithic findsfrom topsoil. All other finds consisted of post-medieval pottery. Themajority of these came from the upper fills or cleaning over the same pit(1058), consisting of two sherds of a transfer-printed ?plate, two basefragments of a redware jar, a sherd of handpainted ?Chinese porcelain, andfive sherds of an undecorated refined whiteware vessel, all probably 19th-century. One sherd of mid to late 18th-century creamware was found in drainfill 1053. A full list by context is included in Appendix 5.

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4. DISCUSSION

4.1 The monitoring of the topsoil removal and subsequent excavations along theA830 represent the final phase of the archaeological fieldwork associated withthe project.

4.2 This work has augmented the information obtained from the earlier evaluationand excavations:

• At Arisaig, the burnt mound was confirmed to be isolated within the roadcorridor.

• At Brunary, no further features associated with the post-medieval buildingswere recorded.

• At Borrodale, further, largely poorly-defined pits, drains and ditches havebeen recorded. All were artefact-poor, but as before, occasional lithics wererecovered.

4.3 CFA does not recommend any post-excavation works on the results of thiswatching brief. The results from this phase of work at Borrodale will beincorporated into the archive report on the fieldwork (Suddaby 2008). Thenegative results from the watching brief at Arisaig and Brunary do not requireany further reporting.

4.4 The archive from this element of the project, comprising all CFA recordsheets, maps and reports, will be deposited with the National MonumentsRecord of Scotland and The Highland Council Sites and Monuments Record.Finds will be subject to Treasure Trove procedures.

4.5 An entry will be submitted for publication in Discovery & Excavation inScotland 2007 (Appendix 6).

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5 REFERENCES

ASH 2003 ‘Cultural Heritage’: Chapter 14 in the Environmental Statement in supportof the planning application, commissioned by The Highland Council

Carter, S. Dalland, M. & Long, D. 2005 ‘Early Land-use and LandscapeDevelopment in Arisaig’, Scottish Archaeological Internet Report (SAIR) 15.

Cressey, M. & Verrill, L. 2006 Palynological Investigations at Carnach Bog, CFAArchive Report 1268.

Rees, A R 1996 ‘Polnish Chapel to Loch Nan Uamh Viaduct’, Discovery andExcavation in Scotland 1996, 58-9.

Suddaby, I 2005a A830 Upgrading, Loch Nan Uamh to Arisaig, Lochaber, Highland,Updated Desk-Based Assessment & Walk-Over Survey, CFA Archive Report 1072.

Suddaby, I 2005b A830 Upgrading, Loch Nan Uamh to Arisaig, Lochaber, Highland,Mitigation Strategy Report, CFA Archive Report 1088.

Suddaby, I. & White, R. 2005 A830 Upgrading, Loch Nan Uamh to Arisaig,Lochaber, Highland, Archaeological Excavations, CFA Archive Report 1100.

Suddaby, I 2008 A multi-period site at Borrodale, Lochaber, Highland, excavated inadvance of the A830(T) Upgrading, Loch Nan Uamh to Arisaig. Post-ExcavationArchive Report. CFA Report no. No. 1489.

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APPENDIX 1: Context Register

ContextNo

Trench Description

202 West Well defined cut of possible pit filled by (203)203 West Fill of possible pit (202), grey-black mottled gritty silt

1000 West Topsoil1001 West Natural sandy gravel1002 West Black fill of possible pit (1012)1003 West Black layer covering possible pit (1007)1004 West Light brown fill of possible pit (1006)1005 West Dark brown fill of possible pit (1007)1006 West Cut of pit (1004)1007 West Cut of pit (1005)1008 West Possible packing stone in pit (1006)1009 West Black silty sand spread- not a feature chemical staining1010 West Black silty sand spread- not a feature chemical staining1011 West Packing stones in (1007)1012 West Cut of pit (1002)1013 West Black silty sand spread- not a feature chemical staining1014 West Black silty fill of possible pit (1029)1015 West Black silty sand spread- not a feature chemical staining1016 West Black silty fill of possible pit (1023)1017 West Black silty fill of possible linear (1027)1018 West Black silty sand spread- not a feature chemical staining1019 West Black silty fill of possible linear (1022)1020 West Black silty sand spread- not a feature chemical staining1021 West Black silty sand spread- not a feature chemical staining1022 West Cut of pit (10191023 West Cut of pit (1016)1024 West Mid-brown sandy silt lower fill of (1023)1025 West Pale whitish yellow silty sand fill of (1023)1026 West Mid brown silty fill of (1027)1027 West Cut of linear (1017) and (1026)1028 West Not a feature1029 West Cut of feature (1014)1030 West Cut of linear (1031)1031 West Mid grey silty sand fill of (1030)1032 West Mid grey silty sand fill of (1033)1033 West Cut of pit (1032)

200 East Well-defined cut of possible pit filled by (201)201 East Fill of possible pit (200), grey-black mottled gritty silt

1034 East Black silty sand spread- not a feature and probably chemical staining1035 East Circular spread of light grey brown silty sand, fill of (1039)1036 East Black silty spread around stones (1040)1037 East Lower fill of (1039)1038 East Stones within (1039)1039 East Cut of sub-circular pit (1035, 1037 and 1038)1040 East Stones within (1036)1041 East Dark spread, no cut, similar to (1036) with more gravel content1042 East Colluvium to east of (1036)1043 East Colluvium covering (1036)1044 East Patch of burning identified during 2005 evaluation1045 East Cut of (1044)

1046-9 - Not used1050 East Presumed cut of spread (1051). Not used.

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1051 East Black silty sand, not a feature. Probably chemical staining of natural subsoil.1052 East Cut of drain containing (1053) (1054) (1055)1053 East Fill of drain (1052)1054 East Stones lining drain (1052)1055 East Lintel stones over edge stones (1054) in drain (1052)1056 East Presumed cut of spread (1057).1057 East Black silty sand spread- not a feature chemical staining1058 East Cut of oval pit (1060) (1061)1059 East Thin soil layer overlying (1060)1060 East Upper fill of pit (1058)1061 East Lower fill of pit (1058)1062 East Presumed cut of spread (1063).1063 East Black silty sand spread- not a feature chemical staining that appeared in

concentric bands1064 East Cut of possible post-hole (1065) – (1066)1065 East Upper fill of possible post-hole (1064)1066 East Lower fill of possible post-hole (1064)

APPENDIX 2: Drawings Register

DrawingNo (sheet)

Section/Plan Scale Description

1 (1) Plan 1:20 Pre-ex plan (1002)-(1012)2 (1) Section 1:20 North-west facing section (1012)3 (1) Plan 1:20 Post-ex plan (1012)4 (1) Section 1:20 South facing section (1022)5 (1) Section 1:20 South-east facing section of linear (1027) A-B6 (1) Section 1:20 South-east Facing section of linear (1027) C-D7 (1) Section 1:20 South-west facing section of linear (1027) E-F8 (1) Section 1:20 North-west facing section of linear (1027) G-H9 (1) Plan 1:20 Post-ex plan of (1022)10 (1) Plan 1:20 Post-ex plan of (1023)11 (1) Section 1:20 North facing section of pits (1006 and (1007)12 (1) Plan 1:20 Post-ex plan of pits (1006) and (1007)13 (1) Plan 1:20 Post-ex plan of linear (1027)14 (1) Section 1:20 South-west facing section (1023)15 (2) Plan 1:20 Post-ex plan of linear (1030) and (1033)16 (3) Plan 1:20 Pre-ex plan of (1013)17 (3) Section 1:20 South facing section (1029)18 (3) Plan 1:20 Post-ex plan (1029)19 (3) Section 1:10 East facing section of linear (1030) A-B20 (3) Section 1:10 East facing section of linear (1030) C-D21 (3) Section 1:10 East facing section of linear (1030) E-F22 (3) Section 1:10 North facing section of linear (1030) and (1033) G-E23 (3) Plan 1:20 Pre-ex plan (1009)24 (3) Plan 1:20 Pre-ex plan (1010)25 (3) Plan 1:20 Pre-ex plan (1015)26 (3) Plan 1:20 Pre-ex plan (1018)27 (3) Plan 1:20 Pre-ex plan (1020)28 (3) Plan 1:20 Pre-ex plan (1021)29 (4) Plan 1:20 Plan of (1039) showing stones (1038) in situ30 (4) Section 1:20 South facing section of (1039) ii-iii31 (4) Section 1:20 North facing section of (1039) ii-I32 (4) Section 1:20 East facing section of (1039) iv-ii33 (4) Section 1:20 West facing section of (1039) v-ii34 (4) Section 1:20 South-west facing section of (1036) E-F

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35 (4) Plan 1:20 Post-ex plan (1039)36 (5-6) Plan 1:20 Post-ex plan of spread (1036)37 (6) Section 1:20 North facing section (1036) K-L38 (6) Section 1:20 South-east facing section of (1041)39 (6) Section 1:20 East facing section of (1036) G-H40 (6) Section 1:10 South facing section of (1036) I-J41 (6) Section 1:20 South-east facing section of (1041) C-D42 (7) Section 1:20 North facing section showing lens of burnt mound material

in cut line at Arisaig.43 (7) Section 1:20 Pre-ex plan pit (201)- (200)44 (7) Plan 1:20 South facing section pit (201) – (200)45 (7) Section 1:20 Post-ex plan pit (203) - (202)46 (7) Section 1:10 Pre-ex plan pit (203)- (202)47 (7) Plan 1:10 North facing section pit (203) – (202)48 (7) Section 1:10 Post-ex plan pit (202) - (203)49 (8) Plan 1:100 General plan of watching brief area beneath power lines at

Borrodale East50 (8) East 1:10 South facing section of drain (1052)51 (8) East 1:10 South facing section of pit (1064)52 (8) East 1:10 NNW-SSE section of pit (1058)

APPENDIX 3: Sample Register

SampleNo

Context No Description Sample Size (Litres,Kubiena Tins, MagneticSusceptibility Tubes)

1 1003 Black silty sand containing charcoal 2 litres2 1004 Light brown silty sand containing charcoal 4 litres3 1005 Dark brown silty sand containing charcoal 4 litres4 1002 Black/brown silty sand containing charcoal 10 litres5 1016 Black humic material containing charcoal 2 litres6 1024 Whitish yellow silty sand 2 litres7 1025 Mid-brown silty sand containing charcoal 2 litres8 1019 Dark orange silty sand containing charcoal 2 litres9 1017 Black sandy silt containing charcoal 2 litres10 1026 Mid reddish-orange silty sand containing charcoal 2 litres11 1028 Natural soil lens Do not process12 1014 Blackish grey silty sand containing charcoal 2 litres13 1031 Greyish brown silty sand containing charcoal 5 litres14 1032 Greyish brown silty sand containing charcoal 5 litres15 1044 Black silty sand containing charcoal 5 litres16 1036 Dark brown/black silty sand containing charcoal 10 litres17 1037 Mid-orange brown silty sand containing charcoal 5 litres18 1035 Mid grey brown sand containing charcoal 5 litres19 1060 Brownish red sandy gravel 2 litres20 201 Black silty sand 3 litres21 203 Black silty sand 4 litres

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APPENDIX 4: Photographic Register

Shot(Digital)

Description Conditions From

Film 22 Arisaig Monitored Topsoil Strip1-4 Arisaig topsoiled showing trees and bedrock Overcast EastFilm 23 Borrodale Excavations 21 Film Registration2-3 (2059) 1002 Pre-ex t Bright North4-5 (2060) North facing section of pits (1006) and (1007) Bright North6-7 (2063) Pre-ex of possible pits (1009) and (1010) Overcast North8-9 (2064) 1002 North West facing section Bright North-west10-11 (2065) Post-ex (1006) and (1007)12-13 (2066) 1013 Pre-ex Overcast South14-15 (2067) 1014 Pre-ex Overcast South16-17 (2068) 1015 Ex Overcast South18-19 (2069) 1016 Ex Overcast South20-21 (270) 1017 Ex Overcast South-east22-23 (271) 1018 Ex Overcast South-west24-25 (272) 1019 Ex Overcast SSE26-27 (273) 1020 Ex Overcast South28-29 (274) 1021 Ex Overcast South30-31 (276) 1012 Post-ex Overcast North32-33 (2077) 1022 South facing section Overcast South34-35 (2078) 1023 West facing section Bright West36-37 Working ShotsFilm 24 Borrodale Excavations 21 Film Registration2-3 (2079) South East facing section A-B of 1027 Bright South-east4-5 (2080) South East facing section C-D of 1027 Bright South-east6-7 (2081) South facing section E-F of 1027 Bright South8-9 (2082) North West facing section F-G of 1027 Bright North-west10-11 (2083) South West facing section of Pit 1021 Bright South-west12-13 (2084) Post-ex shot of Pit 1023 Overcast South14-15 (2085) Post-ex shot of Pit 1022 Overcast South16-17 (2086) North West facing section G-H of 1027 Overcast North-west18-19 (2087) Pre-ex shot of 1030 Bright East20-21 (2088) East facing section A-B of 1030 Bright East22-23 (2089) East facing section C-D of 1030 Bright East24-25 (2090) East facing section E-F of 1030 Bright East26-27 (2091) East facing section G-E of 1030 Bright East28-29 (2092) North facing section G-H of 1033 Bright North30-31 (2093) General Shots North-west33-36 (2094–2095)

General Shots North-east

Film 25 Borrodale Excavations 21 Registration Shot2-3 (2096) Pre-ex 1034 Overcast South4-5 (2097) Pre-ex 1035 Overcast South6-7 (2098) Pre-ex 1036 Overcast South8-9 (2099) Post-ex 1036 General Overcast South10-11 (2100) Post-ex 1036 G-H Stone Section Overcast East12-13 (2101) Post-ex 1041 A-B Spread Section Overcast South-east14-15 (2102) Post-ex 1039 South East Quad Overcast South-east16-17 (2103) Post-ex 1039 East facing section Overcast East18-19 (2104) Post-ex 1039 South facing section Overcast South20-21 (2105) Post-ex 1039 North West Quad Overcast North-west22-23 (2106) Post-ex 1039 West facing section Overcast West

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24-25 (2107) Post-ex 1039 North facing section Overcast North26-27 (2108) South West section through 1036 Overcast South-west28-29 (2109) North facing section of (1036) showing relationship

to (1040)Overcast North

28-29 (2110) Stones (1038) in situ within pit (1039) Overcast North30-31 (2111) Post-ex 1039 Overcast NorthFilm 26 Borrodale Excavations 21-2 Borrodale E, final area below pylons topsoiled Overcast North3-4 As 1-2 Overcast South5-6 Possible feature 1050 by large boulder pre-ex Overcast South7-8 1050 section. Not a feature. Dull East9-10 1052 section cleaned at North side with stones in fill Dull South11-12 1056-7 another non-feature Overcast East13-14 1058 pre-ex Overcast North15-16 1058 ¼ excavated, South quad removed Bright SSW17-18 1058 12 section Sun SSE19-20 1062 pre-ex Sunny West21-22 1064 pre-ex Sunny South23-24 1064 section Bright SouthFilm 27 Borrodale Excavations 21 Registration Shot2-3 General shots of site prior to soil strip Misty South-east4-5 General shots of site prior to soil strip Misty South-east6-7 General shots of site around houses area post-ex Overcast South-east8-9 General shots of site around houses area post-ex Overcast South10-11 General shots of site, wet lazy beds area Overcast East12-13 General shots of site post-ex Overcast WestFilm 28 Borrodale Excavations 25-6 Borrodale E topsoiled, scatter of dark patches Overcast North7-8 Borrodale W partly done Overcast East9-10 Pit 200, 0.7m x 0.45m (E-W) x 0.04m deep Overcast South11-12 Pit 200 section, very shallow Overcast South13-14 Pit fully excavated, sample taken Overcast South15-18 Borrodale W fully done as much as possible Overcast South-west19-20 Borrodale W pit 202 pre-ex Overcast North21-22 Borrodale W pit 202 section Overcast North-east23-24 Borrodale W pit 202 post-ex Overcast North25-26 Borrodale W meandering dark patch with creamy

gravels and orange gravels – a typical combinationOvercast South-east

27-28 As 25-26, sondage through it – clearly natural Bright South-east29-32 Arisaig topsoiled Overcast West33-34 Arisaig lens of burnt mound material Overcast SSW35-36 Arisaig as 33-34 close up Overcast SSW

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APPENDIX 5: Finds Register

Context Find type No. Wt/g Notes Spot-dateBorrodale West1000 Lithics 4 11 3 flint/chert, 1 quartz, flakes prehistoric1002 Lithics 2 1 1 retouched flint/chert, 1 small quartz chip

(poss natural)prehistoric

Borrodale East1053 Pot 1 8 creamware M-L 18th c.1058 Pot 2 3 transfer printed refined whiteware 19th-20th c.

Pot 2 38 glazed redware base 19th/E.20th c.Pot 1 5 hand-painted porcelain, ?Chinese 19th/20th c.

1059 Pot 5 11 refined whiteware, plain 19th/20th c.1061 Lithics 1 1 small quartz chip prehistoric?

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APPENDIX 6: Draft Discovery and Excavation in Scotland Entry

LOCAL AUTHORITY: Highland

PROJECT TITLE/SITE NAME: A830: Loch nan Uamh to Arisaig, Lochaber

PROJECT CODE: A830

PARISH: Arisaig and Moidart

NAME OF CONTRIBUTOR: Phil Richardson

NAME OF ORGANISATION: CFA Archaeology Ltd

TYPE(S) OF PROJECT: Monitored Topsoil Strip and Excavation

NMRS NO(S): NM68NE 42

SITE/MONUMENT TYPE(S): Ditches and Pits

SIGNIFICANT FINDS: None

NGR (2 letters, 6 figures) NM 6770 8580 – Brunary Burn

NM 6945 8515 – Borrodale

NM 6667 8650 - Arisaig

START DATE (this season) 31/07/07

END DATE (this season) 24/08/07

PREVIOUS WORK (incl. DES ref.) Cressey, M. & Verrill, L. 2006 Palynological Investigations at CarnachBog, CFA Archive Report 1268.Suddaby, I 2005 A830 Upgrading, Loch Nan Uamh to Arisaig,Lochaber, Highland, Updated Desk-Based Assessment & Walk-OverSurvey, CFA Archive Report 1072.Suddaby, I. & White, R. 2005 A830 Upgrading, Loch Nan Uamh toArisaig, Lochaber, Highland, Archaeological Excavations, CFAArchive Report 1100.

MAIN (NARRATIVE)DESCRIPTION:(May include information from otherfields)

Following a programme of archaeological work in 2005 which includedthe excavation of a burnt mound at Arisaig, pits and clearance cairns atBorrodale and two post-medieval buildings at Brunary Burn, amonitored topsoil strip was conducted at these locations in July andAugust 2007. No additional remains were recorded at Arisaig or BrunaryBurn. A number of additional pits and ditches were identified andsubsequently excavated at Borrodale. These were in the main poorlydefined and badly truncated. Few finds were recovered.

PROPOSED FUTURE WORK: None

CAPTION(S) FOR ILLUSTRS:

SPONSOR OR FUNDING BODY: Historic Scotland on behalf of Transport Scotland

ADDRESS OF MAINCONTRIBUTOR:

The Old Engine House, Eskmills Park, Musselburgh, East Lothian EH217PQ

EMAIL ADDRESS: cfa@cfa-archaeology.co.uk

ARCHIVE LOCATION(intended/deposited)

To be deposited with NMRS & Highland SMR

Reproduced with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office, © Crown copyright. CFA Archaeology Ltd, Old Engine House, Eskmills Park, Musselburgh EH21 7PQ AL100034785

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The copyright in this document (including its electronic form) shall remain vested in CFA Archaeology Ltd (CFA) but the Client shall have a licence to copy and use the document for the purpose for which it was provided. CFA shall not be liable for the use by any person of this document for any purpose other than that for which the same was provided by CFA. This document shall not be reproduced in whole or in part or relied upon by third parties for any use whatsoever without the express written authority of CFA.

Existing Road

Proposed Road

Location map showing the sites described in the text

AArisaig

Brunary Burn

BorrodaleFig. 2

0 10 km

Site Location

Historic Scotland

A830 Upgrading; Loch Nan Uamh to Arisaig, Lochaber, Highlands. Archaeological Watching Brief & Excavations.

Fig. 3

Borrodale West, General Plan.

Historic Scotland

Reproduced with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office, © Crown copyright. CFA Archaeology Ltd, Old Engine House, Eskmills Park, Musselburgh EH21 7PQ AL100034785

Scale:

Fig. No: Revision: Client:A2Title:

Key:

Drawn by: Page No:

The copyright in this document (including its electronic form) shall remain vested in CFA Archaeology Ltd (CFA) but the Client shall have a licence to copy and use the document for the purpose for which it was provided. CFA shall not be liable for the use by any person of this document for any purpose other than that for which the same was provided by CFA. This document shall not be reproduced in whole or in part or relied upon by third parties for any use whatsoever without the express written authority of CFA.

A830 Upgrading; Loch Nan Uamh to Arisaig, Lochaber, Highlands. Archaeological Watching Brief & Excavations.

Project:

010

50m

BORR

OD

ALE

BU

RN

Borro

dale

Hou

se

Pro

po

sed

A

830

Exis

tin

g

A83

0

NM68

NE2

1

1023

1027

1022

1033

1006

/100

7

1012

Archaeological Features

202

1030

Reproduced with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office, © Crown copyright. CFA Archaeology Ltd, Old Engine House, Eskmills Park, Musselburgh EH21 7PQ AL100034785

Scale:

Fig. No: Revision: Client:A3Title:

Key:

Drawn by: Page No:

The copyright in this document (including its electronic form) shall remain vested in CFA Archaeology Ltd (CFA) but the Client shall have a licence to copy and use the document for the purpose for which it was provided. CFA shall not be liable for the use by any person of this document for any purpose other than that for which the same was provided by CFA. This document shall not be reproduced in whole or in part or relied upon by third parties for any use whatsoever without the express written authority of CFA.

Project:

Existing A830

Burnside Cottages

Archaeological Features

Stone

0 30m105 20

BO

RRO

DA

LE B

URN

Centre line of pylons

1039 1064 1056

Drain200

1062

1058

1036

Proposed A830

1052

Borrodale East, General Plan.

Historic Scotland

A830 Upgrading; Loch Nan Uamh to Arisaig, Lochaber, Highlands. Archaeological Watching Brief & Excavations.