Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
January 2009
TRAPRAIN HOUSE
LUGGATE BURN
WHITTINGEHAME
EAST LOTHIAN
EH41 4QA
1.0 SUMMARY 2
2.0 INTRODUCTION 3
3.0 OBJECTIVES 5
4.0 METHODOLOGY 5
5.0 RESULTS 7
5.1 Fieldwork 7
5.2 The Rooms 9
5.3 Artefacts 12
ILLUSTRATIONS
References
DES Entry
Photo Thumbnails
Newhailes House Estate, Stables Education Room, December 2008
North Sea
Inverness
Aberdeen
Glasgow Edinburgh
100 km
Newhailes House
Area of investigation
Stables
0 50m
This map is based on an Ordnance Survey digital map reproduced with the permission of HM Stationery Office © Crown Copyright NTS licence No. 100023880.
1.0 SUMMARY
1.2 The work will enable the continued understanding and investigation of
the Newhailes Stables, including the evolution of the structure and
previous building within the area.
1.3 Further work would entail further investigation of the of the brick
structure [127] which lay in STG01 at the southwest end of the room and
its function as part of the laundry phase. Room STG15 provided
evidence both of an earlier structure, with the walls [206] and [210]
contemporary with the early cobbled surface [203], and of the later
works, including the insertion of the large stone culvert, uncovered in
the previous excavation in the courtyard (Newhailes Estate Stables
Courtyard Drains, May 2008, NTS). This provides valuable evidence for
further study of the form and function of the possible farm/early stable
and later subdivisions within the building.
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Newhailes Estate Stables STG 01 and 15 Floor replacement
2.0 INTRODUCTION
The site is located within the northeast half of the stables block at NT
332570 672410 (Fig. 1).
The detailed and complex history of the Newhailes Estate has been
covered in several prior reports. In brief, the Estate of Whitehill is of late
17th-century origin though the majority of the designed landscape dates
to the 18th century. The current stable block dates to the early 19th
century and was preceded by an earlier range of structures – including
the building under consideration, which probably dates from the 18th
century. One of the least understood elements of the Newhailes Estate
as a whole is its system of water management, of which the exposed
drains form part.
Bauchop’s estate plan of 1798 (Fig. 4) was used to underlay the current
stables plan in order to correlate any features uncovered during the
investigation. It became clear that the wall uncovered in trench 2 [206]
formed part of this earlier range of buildings.
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Newhailes House Estate, Stables Education Room, December 2008
brick drain
wooden pipe from pond
stone drain
cobbled courtyard
10 m
Figure 2: Stables plan showing the two investigated rooms with previously located drain lines
Newhailes Estate Stables STG 01 and 15 Floor replacement
3.0 OBJECTIVES
3.1 The main objective was to record any archaeology and stratigraphy that
was uncovered during the remedial works on the flooring and insertion of
a damp-proof layer.
4.0 METHODOLOGY
4.1 The contractor co-ordinated the work to ensure that the archaeology was
exposed, recorded and photographed prior to any further removal of
archaeological deposits. The affected rooms were recorded
photographically prior to the removal of the slabs, after which the sand
bedding was removed by the contractors until archaeological deposits
were encountered. In the case of room STG01 this was only in the
southwest of the room, with the discovery of lead piping/pipe trench and
the brick structure associated with the laundry phase, and in STG15, until
the cobbled surface was exposed, and the major drain cut which bisected
the room. Each archaeological feature was recorded using a context
system and a photographic survey of each trench was carried out to
produce a photogrammetric plan.
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Newhailes House Estate, Stables Education Room, December 2008
105
106
slabs
101
118
107 120
STG 01
108
113
114
109
103
110
117
130 112
115
104
5.0 RESULTS
5.1 Fieldwork
The work was undertaken over a number of half day watching briefs
during December 2008. As the entire work took place within the building
itself, under lighting, the conditions were not an issue for the visibility and
recording of features. As the slabs lay directly on beds of sand, excavation
was easy, and the depth required for the damp proofing was 300mm,
providing a suitable terminus for investigation, though sondages were
sunk to a depth of 430mm to access underlying archaeology. Each room
was assigned separate context numbers with the Education room (STG01)
starting at 101 and the smaller Fruit store (STG15) from 201.
The various datasets from the investigation are presented in the appendix
section; Context list (Appendix 1), Photographic list (Appendix 2), Finds
register (Appendix 3) Stratagraphic Matrix (Appendix 4).
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Newhailes House Estate, Stables Education Room, December 2008
sondage
STG 01
sand
122
cut
121
brick structure
127
124
pipe
126
ash 128 cut 129
121 pipe
pipe 125
127
104
5.2.1 Room STG01 (Figs. 2 & 3) was a total length of 8.03m x 4.86m wide. The
depth of the excavation was dependant on the requirement for the damp
proofing which was set at 300mm beneath the existing floor surfaces. The
sandstone slab floor was clearly divided into two distinct areas; The
‘original’ laid slabs [101] which were set in a linear / staggered format,
across the room; the much altered and broken southwest end [102], which
although consisting of similar material (grey sandstone) was irregularly set.
The average thickness of the slabs was 70-85 mm. Part of the later repairs
were in brick such as the infill [103] designed to complete a row of slabs,
while others were of cement, [116], [118] and [130] and dated relatively
recently. The state of the floor a the southwest end of the room, was
severely deflated and uneven, suggesting that not only had the slabs been
lifted and relaid, but significant alteration to the underlying bedding had
taken place, causing subsidence.
The two fireplaces related to the current floor level, with hearths created
using re-used bricks; the southwest fireplace [104] with a diagonal
arrangement, and the northeast fireplace [106] a double row. The
cupboard recess, which until recently had been utilised to contain a
‘Belfast’ sink, was also floored with reused bricks [105]. The main
recognisable feature in the south corner and corresponding with the
known use as a laundry was a series of sloping channels cut into the slabs
(including those that have been relaid) [107]-[112] which joined to a
channel [113] that ran along the southeast wall to a drain outlet [117].
Examination of the drain showed it had been blocked. Square sockets in
the floor [114] and [115] may represent fittings for the laundry sinks,
however [115] may have carried a lead water pipe [125] – see below.
Traces of mortar [119] were evident in a regular pattern around the
fireplace, which seemed to represent a brick structure built against the
fireplace [104]. A final discovery was noted after plaster was removed from
the walls around the central window on the southeast wall, where clear
signs of blocking were recognised [120], this was confirmed as a blocked
door with one of the slabs in the original flooring [101] continued beneath
the blocking.
After removal of the slabs, the bedding was shown to be a fine yellow
sand [122], which reached a depth of 430mm. This was investigated
beyond the required 300mm in a central sondage, that showed a further
archaeological deposit consisting of coarse mortar rubble and brick,
mixed with a soil matrix [123]. Barely 20mm beneath the slabs at the
southwest end, a brick feature began to appear, constructed of reused
18th-century bricks set in a hard cream mortar and corresponding in
extent to the mortar traces found on the upper slabs [119]. The structure
[127] formed a box around a central rectangular pit that was filled with
charcoal and ash [128] that will represent the firepit and standing for a
laundry copper. The feature had been truncated by cut [121] which
carried two lead pipes [125] and [126] (1.5” and 2” in diameter
respectively). The pipes led in from the door in the west corner with pipe
[125] turning to the south corner, and terminating in a cut end beneath
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Newhailes Estate Stables STG 01 and 15 Floor replacement
feature [115] in the slab floor above and pipe [126 continuing across the
room and through the southeast wall into the courtyard. A further large
bore 4” pipe [129] was uncovered 500mm to the southwest of the blocked
drain [124] which had been cut level with the southeast wall face. The
blocked drain [124], may have been a brick structure of similar date to
[127], but had been damaged during the insertion of the pipe trench
[121].
5.2.2 (Fig. 4) Room STG15, measures 3.14m wide and 3.72 long, and is situated
in the return angle of the north corner of the stables, with a single
entrance from the exterior. The slab floor [201] was in a poor state, and
the grey sandstone was water damaged and broken, with an average
thickness of up to 70mm. Beneath the slabs was a yellow sand bedding
[202] 270-300mm thick with a number of 19th-century artefacts. The sand
bedding itself was sitting directly onto a layer of well bedded cobbles
[203] of various sizes, which had edging cobbles set parallel to the
northwest and northeast walls ([210] and [206]), while extending beyond
the southwest and southeast walls ([209] and [207]) confirming the later
internal partitioning of this part of the stables. Foundations [208] for
internal wall [207] extended from the base of the wall by up to 200mm but
narrowed towards the centre. The cobbled surface had been cut [204] by
a wide linear feature (the trench for a culvert), and this had been refilled
with sand [211], and as well as water worn cobbles, mortar debris and
brick fragments.
The fireplace [205] was also set at a level represented by the slabs, while
sitting 270mm above the cobble surface. The cut 204 was excavated
further to a depth of 430mm, where a mixed clay and soil layer was
uncovered, similar to a deposit previous recognised in the courtyard
trench, covering the stone culverted drain. The line of this cut matched
exactly the line expected and it is clear the drain has been inserted
through the cobbles prior to the erection of the partition walls. Both wall
[207] and wall [209] were constructed of rubble and brickwork, though
fine sandstone ashlar had been used as the quoins for the corner in the
south of the room.
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Newhailes House Estate, Stables Education Room, December 2008
Wall
205 206
Wall
line of 203 207
culvert
drain
mixed sand
211
founds
208
cut 212
204
STG 15
Wall
210 203
Wall 209
STG 01
1m
Figure 5: Plan of room STG 015 after slabs removed (see photograph for layout prior to lifting)
Newhailes Estate Stables STG 01 and 15 Floor replacement
5.3 Artefacts
5.3.1 Very few artefacts were recovered during the watching brief. All the
artefacts were recovered from the layer immediately below the badly laid
floor in STG15, within the sand bedding layer [202] - all seem to represent
a date no earlier than the early-mid 19th-century. Of interest is the door
strap hinge, and a large chisel-headed implement.
Room STG01 was clearly a room with a slab floor [101] with a door [120]
placed centrally in the southeast wall, and fireplaces set in each ‘gabled’
wall. The depth of sand and underlying mortar rubble may represent a
primary phase of construction for this area. It is likely that the door in the
west corner was original to the structure. The later alteration of the room
no earlier than the 19th-century (as evidenced by the reused 18th-century
bricks) as a laundry is shown by the channels cut into the slabs, that would
have serviced a series of sinks. The fact that the channels are also cut into
the relaid slabs [102] shows that the brick structure [127] was constructed
prior to this activity, and may indeed be concurrent with this activity. The
theory is strongly supported by similar structures; this would be where
water was boiled in a large copper, and hence the signs of a structure built
against the fireplace [104] that is seen as traces of mortar on the floor
[119]. A drainage outlet is created at this time [124] and perhaps replaced
later with the large lead 3” pipe [129], that led out to the stone culvert
previously excavated in the courtyard. The floor slabs [102] showed the
evidence of another phase of lifting and relaying, with the cut [121] which
truncates and essentially destroys the brick structure [127], with the
remains of the last fire (charcoal [128] lying in situ in the fire ash pit. The
cut took two lead pipes, which may be relatively dated into the 20th
century, though it seems likely that the room remained as a laundry until
recently: when the room was initially recorded after the estate was taken
into the care of the National Trust for Scotland, the sinks were still in situ,
and a hand cranked mangle was fixed in position in the centre of the
room. (Paul Chandler pers. comm.). The door that leads from the east
corner, can be seen to be an insert, due to the step up to a different level,
and the probability of a further cupboard recess being there previously. A
new door would have been necessitated by the blocking of the central
door [120]. It is therefore likely this room contains elements from the 18th,
19th and 20th centuries, relating to a primary use as a living space with
fireplaces, then a laundry with a large copper at the southwest end, and
finally as a more ‘modern’ laundry, with another source of heating water.
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Newhailes Estate Stables STG 01 and 15 Floor replacement
Further work within the stable block will clearly require archaeological
presence, as this investigation has shown that significant archaeological
remains are preserved at a depth of c. 300mm – though in the case of the
brick structure, this was only a matter of 20mm, and indeed even the
current floor surfaces and walls have hidden features that will continue to
inform the development history of the site.
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Newhailes Estate Stables STG 01 and 15 Floor replacement
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Newhailes Estate Stables STG 01 and 15 Floor replacement
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Newhailes Estate Stables STG 01 and 15 Floor replacement
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Newhailes Estate Stables STG 01 and 15 Floor replacement
46 NES08 Part of photo mosaic of cobbled surface after Vertical Dec 2008
slabs[201] lifted and sand [202] removed in
Room SRG15
47 NES08 Part of photo mosaic of cobbled surface after Vertical Dec 2008
slabs[201] lifted and sand [202] removed in
Room SRG15
48 NES08 Part of photo mosaic of cobbled surface after Vertical Dec 2008
slabs[201] lifted and sand [202] removed in
Room SRG15
49 NES08 Part of photo mosaic of cobbled surface after Vertical Dec 2008
slabs[201] lifted and sand [202] removed in
Room SRG15
50 NES08 Part of photo mosaic of cobbled surface after Vertical Dec 2008
slabs[201] lifted and sand [202] removed in
Room SRG15
51 NES08 Part of photo mosaic of cobbled surface after Vertical Dec 2008
slabs[201] lifted and sand [202] removed in
Room SRG15
52 NES08 Part of photo mosaic of cobbled surface after Vertical Dec 2008
slabs[201] lifted and sand [202] removed in
Room SRG15
53 NES08 Part of photo mosaic of cobbled surface after Vertical Dec 2008
slabs[201] lifted and sand [202] removed in
Room SRG15
54 NES08 Part of photo mosaic of cobbled surface after Vertical Dec 2008
slabs[201] lifted and sand [202] removed in
Room SRG15
55 NES08 Part of photo mosaic of cobbled surface after Vertical Dec 2008
slabs[201] lifted and sand [202] removed in
Room SRG15
56 NES08 Northeast corner of STG15, with relationship West Dec 2008
between cobbles [203], wall [206], foundations
[208] supporting inserted wall [207]
57 NES08 Vertical section showing depth of sand and - Dec 2008
slabs overlaying cobbles [203]
58 NES08 Section in sondage showing makeup beneath - Dec 2008
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Newhailes Estate Stables STG 01 and 15 Floor replacement
66 NES08 Detail showing pipes cutting Brick feature vertical Dec 2008
[127] and ash fill[128]
67 NES08 View of fully exposed Brick feature [127] and vertical Dec 2008
ash pit [128]
68 NES08 View of fully exposed Brick feature [127] and NorthEast Dec 2008
ash pit [128] with cut [121] containing pipes
[125] and [126]
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Newhailes Estate Stables STG 01 and 15 Floor replacement
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Newhailes Estate Stables STG 01 and 15 Floor replacement
References
Maps:
Reports:
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Newhailes Estate Stables STG 01 and 15 Floor replacement
Report:
An archaeological watching brief was carried out during remedial work on the
flooring of rooms STG01 and STG15 in Newhailes Stables.
The Room STG01 was shown to have been original, with a later series of channels
and structures associated with a laundry, and a later insertion of lead water pipes.
Damage and subsidence to the southwest end of the room can be related to this
activity. The room STG15 provided evidence for the insertion of later internal walls,
prior to the laying of a slab floor, which overlaid a cobbled surface for an earlier
internal room, probably associated with animals. Cutting through this cobbling
was a trench related to the building of a stone culvert, that had previously been
examined in the courtyard of the stable block.
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