DISCOVERING DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAYS PAST

GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY AT LANGHOLM CASTLE: INTERIM REPORT

ALEXANDER NASMYTH (1758-1840)S PAINTING OF LANGHOLM, SHOWING THE RUINOUS CASTLE AND TWO? LAICH HOUSES. PRINTED IN W ALTER SCOTTS THE BORDER ANTIQUITIES OF ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND (1814)

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Author: Giles Carey Illustrations: Giles Carey Date of Issue: 16/01/2013 Date of fieldwork: 21/11/12 Contents Summary ................................................................................................................................................... 2 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................... 3 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 4 Project Background ................................................................................................................................... 4
Site Location ...................................................................................................................................................... 4 Aims and objectives ........................................................................................................................................... 4 Archaeological and historical background .......................................................................................................... 4

Survey ....................................................................................................................................................... 6
Geophysical survey ............................................................................................................................................ 6

Results ...................................................................................................................................................... 6
Resistance survey .............................................................................................................................................. 6 Plane Table Survey ............................................................................................................................................ 8

Conclusions............................................................................................................................................... 8 Talk ........................................................................................................................................................... 8 Appendix 1: Technical data ....................................................................................................................... 9 Appendix 2: Volunteers ........................................................................................................................... 10 All pupils from Canonbie Primary, Langholm Primary and Langholm Academy who assisted with survey on site, and their teachers. Bibliography ................................................................................................. 10
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List of figures Figure 1: Sketch Plan of Earthworks at Castleholm. Dr. T C Welsh .................................................... 12 Figure 2: Survey area depicted on historic mapping. ............................................................................. 14 Figure 3: Aerial Photograph of Langholm, 19/06/1945. National Collection of Aerial Photography .... 15 Figure 4: General Location of survey area ............................................................................................. 16 Figure 5: Resistance survey Raw Data ................................................................................................ 17 Figure 6: Resistance Survey Processed Data ..................................................................................... 18 Figure 7: Resistance Survey - Interpretation ........................................................................................... 19 Figure 8: Sketch Plan of Earthworks superimposed on top of Resistance Survey Processed Greyscale. ............................................................................................................................................... 20

Summary
Volunteers and local schoolchildren undertook a single day of resistance survey around the standing remains of Langholm Castle, Castleholm, Langholm. The limited area surveyed recorded a number of interesting features, some probably contemporary with the use of the towerhouse. A small pilot plane-table survey was carried out to the immediate East of the standing building, where a number of extant earthworks are visible. Small runs of earthworks continue across Castleholm. A wide range of volunteers drawn from the local community participated in the survey, receiving training in both resistance and plane-table survey. The survey was run as a joint venture between Glasgow University and Eskdale and Liddesdale Archaeological Society (E&LAS), with much assistance from the local schools, Langholm Primary and Langholm Academy and Canonbie Primary.

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Acknowledgements
The survey would not have been possible without the enthusiasm of all volunteers who turned up on the day; our thanks to all those listed in Appendix 2. The assistance of all members of E&LAS, both prior to and on the day of survey is gratefully acknowledged, in particular Dr. Tom Kennedy, Ron Addison, Margaret Pool, Avril Bannatyne, Aileen Armstrong, Rowan Phillips and Tom Stothart. Thanks for the supply of traybakes! The input of all school pupils who took part in the survey from Langholm Academy, Langholm Primary and Canonbie Primary in what proved difficult survey conditions underfoot is also gratefully acknowledged. Thanks are also extended to their teachers Miss Walker, Mr Shand and Mrs Reay. Background research was greatly assisted by members of E&LAS. Permission to carry out survey was granted by landowner, The Buccleuch Estates, with assistance from Michael Birnie (Assitant Estate Manager). Permission to survey the Scheduled Area was granted through a Section 42 consent granted by Historic Scotland, with thanks to John Malcolm. This phase of Discovering Dumfries and Galloways Past is jointly funded by the Scottish Government and The European Community, Dumfries and Galloway LEADER 2007-2013; The Crichton Foundation and The University of Glasgow.

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Introduction
This report presents the results of a single day of resistance survey carried out adjacent to the fragmentary south gable, all that stands of the towerhouse of the Armstrongs, commonly known as Langholm Castle (NRMS NY38SE 3; NGR NY 3617 8494). A total of 4x 20m2 grids of resistance survey were carried out over the course of a single day. Additionally, a small pilot plane-table survey was conducted as a training exercise. This fieldwork was carried out by volunteers drawn from the local community and by three groups of pupils from local schools, under the supervision of staff from the University of Glasgow and members of E&LAS. The survey was part of Discovering Dumfries and Galloways Past, a project engaging local communities across the region in non-intrusive archaeological fieldwork.

Project Background
Site Location The remains of Langholm Castle sit adjacent to the cricket pitch on Castleholm, at the confluence of the River Esk and Ewes Water. The survey area was a contiguous area immediately adjacent to the standing remains of the tower, to the east and south of the boundary fence around the monument. Survey was only possible on those areas with limited tree cover. Ground conditions under foot were challenging, and the low-lying ground was particularly saturated, following heavy rains the previous day. The vegetation cover on the site posed an additional hazard, particularly in the grid to the immediate south of the boundary fence. The survey area was also covered by a series of earthworks, with some stonework visible. Whilst some of these clearly represent rubble material, others remain difficult to interpret, although it has been suggested that at least some of them may representing building foundations contemporary with the tower (Welsh, 2004). Aims and objectives The purpose of any geophysical survey is to as far as reasonably possible, determine the nature of the detectable archaeological resource within a specified area using appropriate methods and practices (English Heritage, 2008: 3). As a training exercise, and community archaeology project, a key purpose was to provide hands-on experience for local volunteers in planning, setting up and conducting a geophysical survey. Archaeological and historical background The target of this pilot survey was the earthwork complex visible across the southern extent of Castleholm (see figure 1). Fragmentary sections of earthwork banks here represent the remains of 300 years of stone-robbing activity (e.g. Mitchell, 1906) across the whole area between the Esk and the Ewes. There is much local conjecture as to whether Langholm Castle sits on the site of an earlier foundation (e.g. Welsh, 2004). Certainly, the extant above-ground remains appear to, in part, belong to an extensive building complex, although later stone robbing has significantly obscured the picture. For instance, some of the earthworks clearly represent rubble heaps from several phases of destruction.
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Outline Timeline for Langholm Castle

c.1526: Langholm Castle was built, by the Armstrongs. It is not clear whether it was the first defensive structure on this site (Hyslop and Hyslop, 1912). 1544: Langholm castle was occupied by the English during the Rough Wooing, when Henry VIII tried to force a marriage between his son, Edward, and an infant Mary Queen of Scots (Merriman, 2000: 143). 1547: It was recaptured by the Scots after the firing of just seven shots (Hyslop and Hyslop, 1912). 1607: In the Registers of the Privy Council, Sir William Cranston was made responsible for securing the Castle and installing new locks. Langholm is listed alongside Threave, Lochmaben, Caerlaverock and Dumfries, so must have been of some status at this time (registers of the Privy Council, 1607). 1755-7: A memorial document for a local paint merchant, Matthew Irving records payment for materials used in repairs and building work at Langholm Castle for the Duke of Buccleuch, supervised by John Boston (Scottish Record office, Buccleuch Manuscripts - 1755-57 GD 224/84). 1794: The castle is described as a small fragment in the Statistical Account, a detailed parish-by-parish description of 'the Natural History and Political State of Scotland' (Old Statistical Account, p.598). 1834: The castle is described as ruinous in the revised edition of the Statistical Account, probably after stones were robbed from it to build local houses. This is the condition in which we see it today (New Statistical Account, p.420).

This area was used extensively during the Second World War . The requisitioned Langholm Lodge formed the focus of a sizeable camp (www.langholmarchive.com/The%20Camp.php; NMRS NY38NE 54), which extended across Castleholm. RAF air photographs clearly show the camp extending across the survey area.

Extract from oblique aerial photograph, showing extent of Langholm Barracks across Castleholm. RAF 26 June 1941 RCAHMS / National Collection of Aerial Photography

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Survey
Geophysical survey Standards The surveys and subsequent reporting were carried out in accordance with English Heritages guide to Geophysical Survey in Archaeological Field Evaluation (2008), the IfAs Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Geophysical Survey (Draft) (IfA, 2010) and the ADS Geophysical Data in Archaeology: A Guide to Good Practice (Schmidt, 2001). Field methods An overall survey grid was established using tapes, with reference to known points on Ordnance Survey mapping. The baseline was set-up against the boundary fence around the site. Data collection was carried out using a standard methodology, with data collected in 20m grid units, with all grids walked in the same direction (E-W). A Geoscan RM15 resistance meter was used to conduct the majority of the resistance survey; the sample interval used was 1.0m with a traverse interval of 1.0m. A TR-systems resistance meter was used to collect data across the grid to the immediate south of the standing building; again the sample and traverse interval were 1.0m. All grids were walked in a zig-zag traverse scheme. Data processing Geoplot software (version 3) was used to download and process the resistance data, after the TR systems data had been downloaded using Snuffler. Greyscale plots of both raw and processed data were produced in Geoplot. Raw and processed data and interpretations are presented in this report as figures 5-7. The raw data has been subject to minimum editing to remove operator error, with data subsequently processed to remove geological and background biases and interpolated to aid interpretation (see appendix 1).

Results
An interpretative diagram is presented in figure 7, with certain anomalies annotated for ease of reference in the discussion below. Resistance survey Resistance survey was very effective in locating a number of features, which showed up as clear anomalies. As can be seen in the raw data presented in figure 5, a large amount of near-surface stonework led to some poor contacts. These were minimized on site, and subsequently a de-spiking process reduced their effect on the interpretation of data. A wide, curving, low resistance anomaly, up to 10m wide (A), runs across the south of the survey area. It is banked on either side by high resistance stonework, particularly noted to the west on the interior of the circuit. This anomaly correlates with a noticeable depression in the ground surface, which marks the line of Langholm Racecourse. The line of the racecourse was clearly noticeable on the ground, even
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though the race rails were removed at the time of survey. The banks of stonework on either side of this feature, however, might suggest that the line of the racetrack may have been using an earlier artificial feature, which sits at the edge of a raised platform on which the towerhouse sits.

Langholm Primary School pupils conducting survey across this feature. Dr. Tom Kennedy

A defined area of high resistance, haloed by a low resistance anomaly (B) was recorded adjacent to the boundary fence. This area was particularly problematic to survey due to tree cover, but the fragmentary earthworks here may relate to buried in situ stonework. Anomaly B represents the edge of a building platform, which broadly correlates with the earthwork in this area; it would be useful in interpreting this feature to extend the survey to the north and west in this area. To the immediate East of the standing remains, an area of low resistance was recorded at the centre of the survey grid, surrounded by a defined arc of high resistance (C), which may represent in situ building material, possibly with a wall thickness of up to 5m, with a diameter over 20m. This interpretation is difficult to match with the above ground earthworks. A broad bank of material, orientated N-S and E-W was seen running along the west and south sides of this grid, as recorded in outline by TC Welsh (see figure 8). This may well represent dumped material, but the resistance survey may suggest that at least part of this earthwork complex represents in situ buried stonework.

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Plane Table Survey As a training exercise, a very small area of plane table survey was completed. This provided training in analytical field techniques to all school pupils who attended the site. It demonstrates the efficacy of such a technique, even amongst a set of complex earthworks as found on Castleholm.

Pupils learning about plane tabling. Dr. Tom Kennedy.

Conclusions
The result of the pilot survey is encouraging. It suggests that resistance survey works well across this area, despite the presence of a considerable background of near-surface stonework, representing the phases of collapse, stone robbing and quarrying across this area. The ground conditions proved a challenge to survey, and tree cover both obscured above ground earthworks and precluded below ground survey in some areas. A baseline measured analytical survey of the area immediately surrounding the standing building of Langholm Castle would assist greatly in both the interpretation of the pilot survey, as well as any further resistance survey in the vicinity. This would ideally be undertaken at a level commensurate with English Heritages Level 2 recording guidelines1

Talk
A talk was presented on the evening of the survey, at the Buccleuch Centre, in partnership with E&LAS. As well as presenting the initial results of the day of survey, the talk offered an opportunity for the historical context of the castle to be discussed with local historians. 28 people attended.

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/content/publications/publicationsNew/guidelines-standards/understanding-archaeology-oflandscapes/understandingthearchaeologyoflandscapespart3pp19-27.pdf DDGP: Survey at Langholm Castle - 8 -

Appendix 1: Technical data

Resistance Data 1. Raw Data Clip (limits maximum and minimum values for display and subsequent processing): -3/+3 Despike (removes large anomalies above a certain threshold): x-radius 1; y-radius 1; threshold 3.5 Zero Mean Grid (normalizes dataset to remove discrepancies between balancing of remote probes) 2. Processed data Interpolation (smoothes greyscale appearance by adding extra data points into the dataset, calculated with reference to surrounding collected data) on both the Y and X-axis.

For more technical information on data processing, see (Geoscan Research, 2005: Chapter 6).

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Appendix 2: Volunteers
Thanks to all the following for their help over the course of survey:

Jack Pennie Alice Howdle Dr. Tom Kennedy Margaret Pool Ron Addison Avril Bannatyne Aileen Armstrong Rowan Phillips Tom Stothart

All pupils from Canonbie Primary, Langholm Primary and Langholm Academy who assisted with survey on site, and their teachers.

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Bibliography
English Heritage, 2008 Geophysical Survey in Archaeological Field Evaluation [online] http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/geophysical-survey-in-archaeological-fieldevaluation/geophysics-guidelines.pdf 04/07/2011
HU U

Geoscan Research 2005 Geoplot Instruction Manual [consulted online] http://www.geoscanresearch.co.uk/Gp300Proc3.pdf 04/07/2012
HU UH

Hyslop, J. and Hyslop, R. 1912 Langholm as it was: a history of Langholm and Eskdale from the earliest times Edinburgh IfA, 2010 Draft Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Geophysical Survey [online] http://www.archaeologists.net/sites/default/files/node-files/geophysicsSG.pdf 04/07/20112
HU

Merriman, M. 2000 The rough wooings: Mary Queen of Scots 1542-1551 Edinburgh: Tuckwell Mitchell, A. (ed.) 1906 Geographical collections relating to Scotland made by Walter Macfarlane edited from Macfarlane's transcript in the Advocates' library Edinburgh: Scottish History Society Schmidt, A. 2001 Geophysical Data in Archaeology: A Guide to Good Practice York: Archaeology Data Service Welsh, T. 2004 Langholm Castle, survey Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 5 p. 37

Other sources National Monument Record of Scotland (NMRS) consulted at http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk National Collection of Aerial Photography consulted at http://aerial.rcahms.gov.uk National Library of Scotland consulted at http://maps.nls.uk Old Statistical Account - consulted at http://stat-acc-scot.edina.ac.uk/link/1791-99/Dumfries/Langholm/ New Statistical Account consulted at http://stat-acc-scot.edina.ac.uk/link/1834-45/Dumfries/Langholm/

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FIGURE 1: SKETCH PLAN OF EARTHWORKS AT CASTLEHOLM. DR. T C W ELSH

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Extract from Blaeus Atlas of Scotland, 1654 showing Castle of Langhoome Detail of Upper Eskdale and Ewesdale from Aglionbys Platte, 1590

Extract from Roys Military Survey of Scotland, c.1747

Thomsons Atlas of Scotland, 1832

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1st edition Ordnance Survey (revised) 1900s.

FIGURE 2: SURVEY AREA DEPICTED ON HISTORIC MAPPING.

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FIGURE 3: AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH OF LANGHOLM, 19/06/1945. NATIONAL COLLECTION OF AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

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FIGURE 4: GENERAL LOCATION OF SURVEY AREA DDGP: Survey at Langholm Castle - 16 -

FIGURE 5: RESISTANCE SURVEY RAW DATA DDGP: Survey at Langholm Castle - 17 -

FIGURE 6: RESISTANCE SURVEY PROCESSED DATA DDGP: Survey at Langholm Castle - 18 -

FIGURE 7: RESISTANCE SURVEY - INTERPRETATION DDGP: Survey at Langholm Castle - 19 -

FIGURE 8: SKETCH PLAN OF EARTHWORKS SUPERIMPOSED ON TOP OF RESISTANCE SURVEY PROCESSED GREYSCALE. DDGP: Survey at Langholm Castle - 20 -