WRITTEN SCHEME OF INVESTIGATION

Transcription

1 CANAL COLLEGE 2, ROSEBANK DISTILLERY: WRITTEN SCHEME OF INVESTIGATION 1

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3 Contents Background... 4 Introduction... 5 Historical Notes... 6 Methodology... 7 Staff... 9 Products... 9 Timetable... 9 Bibliography... 9 Cartographic Sources

4 Background canal college is Scottish Waterways Trust s (SWT) employability project, almost exclusively based outdoors, delivering 14-week programmes of heritage and employability skills to disadvantaged and marginalised year olds. The outdoor focus is highly innovative and sets the project apart from other employability support. Taking place along Scotland s canals, the programme activities concentrate on developing outdoor skills including traditional construction skills and conservation skills. canal college 2 will significantly increase the number of people directly engaging with the built, cultural and natural heritage of the Caledonian, Forth & Clyde and Union canals over 860 people during the life of the project. canal college 2 will challenge people's perceptions of the canals and the amazing, inclusive qualities they offer. Additionally, canal college 2 creates an accessible, stimulating and enjoyable way for participants and mentors, particularly those from disadvantaged areas, to engage with the built, cultural and natural heritage of the Caledonian, Forth & Clyde and Union canals in ways which develop their understanding of heritage and encourages other local people and community groups to become actively involved. canal college 2 will run for the 3 years in Falkirk, west Dunbartonshire and Inverness, with 27 employability programmes will take place over the three years. In all three project delivery areas, canal college 2 will work on a new complement of heritage assets along the canalside. 4

5 Introduction This document acts as Written Statement of Investigation (WSI hereafter), which sets out the aims and methodology of the archaeological excavation and recording due to take place at Rosebank Distillery, Falkirk. The Distillery lies to the south side of the Forth and Clyde Canal, and is located adjacent to Lock 11 and its associated Lock Keeper s Cottage. The archaeological excavation and survey forms part of The Scottish Waterways Trust canal college 2 project. This WSI has been produced by Ian Hill and Phil Richardson of Archaeology Scotland, and Chris O Connell of Scottish Canals. The work will focus on excavation of part of the Lock Keeper s Cottage, and Standing Building Recording of the Distillery complex. Location of Rosebank Distillery, Falkirk (Contains Ordnance Survey Crown copyright and database right 2017) The main objectives are: to understand the extent and condition of the archaeological remains to create a stratigraphic record of the site to place the site in the greater context of distilling as a canalside industry to investigate the social history of workers on the canalside to offer a learning experience to canal college participants; To develop an interpretation strategy using the archaeological results 5

6 Historical Notes The Forth and Clyde Canal (Canmore ID ) was opened in 1790 and allowed the sea going vessels of the period to move between the Firth of Clyde and the Firth of Forth. It was used until the 1930 s, before it went into decline, to be replaced by rail transport. Cartographic evidence suggests that by the end of the 19 th century numerous breweries, distilleries and allied trades were present along the Forth & Clyde. The former site of the Rosebank Distillery (Canmore ID 83240) was founded in c.1817 and closed down in The site lies adjacent to the Forth & Clyde Canal, Falkirk and is bounded by walls of the distillery, the recent housing development and the canal. A canal plan from 1845 shows the boundaries of the Falkirk Distillery, with Canal Cottage clearly depicted on the north side of the distillery boundary wall, indicating a separate, unrelated structure. The cottage is believed to have originally been a lock keepers cottage. The mapped buildings in later ordnance survey maps represent different archaeological phases relating to the distillery and the locks. In 2006 CFA Archaeology excavated trenches at the adjacent Tophill Boatyard (Canmore ID ) and identified buried remains of the associated structures (Mitchell 2006). At Rosebank itself a number of canalside buildings and ancillary structures (such as the lock keeper s cottage, Canmore ID 46959) were built and remodelled. Canal Cottage Plan of Tophill Works Proposed to be let by the Forth and Clyde Canal Company,

7 Lock Keepers Cottage First Edition 25inch to the mile Stirling Sheet XXX.3 (Falkirk), 1864 Lock Keepers Cottage Second Edition 25inch to the Stirlingshire (includes: Falkirk), 1896 Methodology As part of the heritage training programmes of canal college, participants will conduct Historic Building Recording at the Distillery Complex, and undertake targeted excavation at the site of the former Lock Keeper s Cottage. Targeted excavation will be carried out in order to assess the level of preservation of the archaeological remains, and add to our understanding of the site. This will not only provide unique, new information but will also provide participants with a chance to learn all about uncovering the past. One 8m by 2m trench will be positioned to target the buried remains of the cottage, at the western gable end, on the canal side of the building. Topsoil and modern overburden will be removed by hand under constant archaeological supervision. Archaeological excavation will then be conducted by hand, carried out by canal college participants with professional guidance and training from Archaeology Scotland. On completion of the excavation and recording the site will be back filled to the ground level prior to the excavation. 7

8 Historic standing building surveys will be conducted on the canal side cottage and, where appropriate, the remaining buildings of Rosebank distillery. A Basic survey will be carried out, as laid out in East Lothian Council s Historic Building Recording: Guidance for Curators and Commercial Archaeological Contractors (Simpson and Connolly, 2006), which will provide volunteers with a fully rounded approach to archaeological works and training, and will provide a baseline survey of the buildings recorded. Trench Location Area of Archaeological Excavation All archaeological works will be conducted in accordance with the Chartered Institute of Field Archaeologists (CIfA) Standard and guidance for the archaeological investigation and recording of standing buildings or structures, Standard and Guidance for an Archaeological Excavation and Code of Conduct. All features will be recorded through drawing, at an appropriate scale, photography (SLR digital), and by completing standard Archaeology Scotland record forms. Following excavation the archaeological remains will be covered with terram and backfilled to protect the remains from damage and exposure. The ground level prior to the start of excavation will be reinstated and left in a safe, and tidy order. Vegetation management will be conducted within the site area to help protect the archaeological remains, both standing and buried, from root damage. 8

9 Staff The excavation will be led by CIfA registered Phil Richardson ACIfA (Adopt-a-Monument Manager), Cara Jones ACIfA (Adopt-a-Monument Manager) and Helena Gray (Project Officer). All are professional archaeologists, and have extensive experience of directing archaeological excavations as well as supervising and teaching volunteers and beginner archaeologists. CV s are available upon request. The excavation will be assisted by several volunteers, all of whom will receive a health and safety inducted talk at the beginning of their time on the project. The volunteers will be supervised by professional archaeologists at all times and will not be onsite unsupervised. Products The excavation will be written up as a Data Structure Report and submitted to Highland Council and the National Monument Record of Scotland. The dissemination of the projects progress and results will also take place through digital media outputs including Archaeology Scotland s website and Scottish Waterways Trust website. Reporting on the project will be completed within 8 weeks of completion of all fieldwork with hard copies of the DSR lodged with SWT, Scottish Canals, Highland Council and Historic Environment Scotland (HES). Timetable Programmes 5 to 9 of canal college 2 in the Falkirk region will complete six days of excavation and Historic Building Recording at Rosebank Distillery, with work commencing with Programme 5 in September 2018, and being completed by April Bibliography Mitchell, S. 2005, Rosebank Distillery, Falkirk, Discovery and Excavation in Scotland, vol. 6, p70 Simpson, B and Connolly, D Historic Building Recording: Guidance for Curators and Commercial Archaeological Contractors, East Lothian Council Archaeology Service Cartographic Sources 1845 Plan of Tophill Works Proposed to be let by the Forth and Clyde Canal Company (Scottish Canals) 1864 Ordnance Survey First Edition 25inch to the mile Stirling Sheet XXX.3 (Falkirk) 1896 Ordnance Survey Second Edition 25inch to the Stirlingshire (includes: Falkirk) 9