Proposed Extension to Memorial Halls, Bothwell:

Archaeological Evaluation

Data Structure Report

16th June 2004

Rathmell
Archaeology Ltd
 Data Structure Report – Memorial Halls, Bothwell

Overview
This Data Structure Report presents the findings of an archaeological evaluation
commissioned by LBG Waterston in respect to a proposed community development at
Memorial Halls, Bothwell (centred NGR: NS 7045 5864). The archaeological investigative
works was designed in response to a negative suspensive condition on the planning consent
for the development and hence the results will inform on any necessary mitigation of impact
on the archaeological remains within their development area. The area concerned is
currently hardstanding (Fig: 4) extending to 0.04 ha to the southwest and garden ground to
the east of the existing Memorial Halls on Main Street, Bothwell.
There are no known archaeological sites within the proposed development site, although the
site is adjacent to the Collegiate Church that latterly became the Parish Church and to the
immediate east of the medieval burgh of Bothwell. Due to the location of the proposed
development, there is a hazard of significant archaeological features being present from the
medieval and post-medieval burgh and Collegiate Church. South Lanarkshire Council has
required a programme of archaeological works, commencing with an archaeological
evaluation, to address this archaeological hazard.
Rathmell Archaeology Ltd was appointed to act with regard to the archaeological condition
on behalf of LBG Waterston. The project works described below define the proposed
archaeological works that has been designed to comply with the identified requirements of
the West of Scotland Archaeology Service, archaeological advisor to planning authority,
South Lanarkshire Council
This evaluation failed to identify any significant archaeological features within the
development area.

Project Works
The programme of works agreed with the West of Scotland Archaeology Service
commenced with an archaeological evaluation of the development area through machine cut
trenches extending to 50m 2 of the land. The evaluation works were undertaken in keeping
with the submitted Written Scheme of Investigation (see below) with on site works taking
place on Wednesday, 9th June 2004.
The majority of exposed features within the trenches were investigated and evaluated to
determine archaeological significance. The trenches as machined are illustrated in Figure 1.
In total some 50m 2 of trenches were opened, meeting the agreed target.
All works were conducted in accordance with WoSAS Standard Conditions, the Institute of
Field Archaeology’s Standards and Policy Statements and Code of Conduct and Historic
Scotland Policy Statements.

Findings: Desk based assessment and site inspection

The Memorial Halls is situated in the middle of the burgh, to the east of the B7071 road. To
the south of the halls is Bothwell Parish Church, a collegiate church dating back to the late
14th century. The collegiate church was built about AD1398 by Archibald the Grim, 3rd Earl of
Douglas and dedicated to St. Bride. It was extensively altered and added to from the
eighteenth century to the early twentieth century, although the boundaries of the graveyard
appear to have remained unaltered.
An evaluation and subsequent excavations were carried out by AOC Archaeology Group in
1999 to the south east of the Memorial Halls, in the area directly in front of the manse. An
assemblage of 12th to 15th century medieval pottery was recovered, including large amounts
of white gritty ware found within hillwash deposits. In addition post-medieval and Early
Modern pottery was recovered, as well as a large soak away dating to the post-medieval

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 Data Structure Report – Memorial Halls, Bothwell

period. In addition several 18th to 19th century features were uncovered, consisting of a
stone capped drain, a stone capped spring and the outline of a Parterre, which is found on
the 1st edition OS map of the area.

Figure 1: Trench locations and features:-Trenches (in red), Walls [406], [408] (in green),
Waste water pipe [405] (in blue).

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 Data Structure Report – Memorial Halls, Bothwell

Findings: Evaluation trenches

The five evaluation trenches (Fig 1) exposed a range of features, all of which are detailed
within the appendices. The trenches (trenches 1 to 3) to the front of the Memorial Halls lay
on ground that is currently used for car parking, and is hardstanding. This hardstanding
overlay past car park surfaces that in turn overlay a depth of clay sediment. This sediment
was rich in general building rubble, including sandstone fragments. Comparable building
rubble was even present immediately overlying the interface to the underlying clay subsoil.

Fig 2: Trench 2 Fig 3: Trench 4

The rear trenches (trenches 4 and 5) were cut in a garden area. The topsoil in this area
overlay made ground and a depth of clay sediment rich in general building rubble,
comparable to the sediment to the front.
Within Trench 4 (Fig 1and 3) two walls were recorded; [406] and [408]. The walls were of red
sandstone construction, being aligned east to west, and survived at a reduced and degraded
level. The other trenches contain a variation of field drains from horseshoe to oval.
In general the subsoil was a variable brown clay that was between 620mm (to the front) and
1250mm (to the rear) beneath the current ground surface. This clay varied slightly across the
site, being more orange in nature to the west.
No archaeological sediments were exposed by the works that did not contain or expose
material that could reasonably be dated to the nineteenth century or twentieth century.

Discussion
Nothing of archaeological significance was recovered from any of the trenches and none of
the features investigated yielded any archaeological material.
The entire site was covered in a layer of rubble beneath the top strata to a depth of up to
810mm. The rubble was general building rubble containing; ceramic building material and
stone.
The walls identified to the rear of the Memorial Halls were built of sandstone. The character
and minor nature of these walls (in terms of massiveness) suggests these are elements of a
former outbuilding. The foul drain to the south may well be related to this structure and may
suggest this outbuilding was a wash house or toilet block.

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 Data Structure Report – Memorial Halls, Bothwell

Fig 4: Front car park area from west Fig 5: Section of Trench 2
The ubiquitous presence of building debris within the sediments over the clay subsoil is
suggestive that the majority of the development area was stripped to subsoil level during the
construction of the Memorial Halls. This is best illustrated by the cinder and rubble debris in
Trench 2 (Fig: 3 & 5) directly lying on the upper surface of the clay subsoil.
The current level ground surface across the development area does not appear to be
reflected in the underlying subsoil surface. Rather there appeared to be a slight gradient from
west to east, although the inference as to large scale stripping of the site in the past may
negate the value of this observation.
Overall all the features investigated appeared to be of a modern (i.e. post-nineteenth
century) origin and of a conventional character for such an area.

Conclusion
A programme of archaeological investigative works was undertaken on 0.04ha of ground for
the proposed extension to Memorial Halls, Bothwell, South Lanarkshire. An archaeological
evaluation was carried out on the 9th June 2004.
The evaluation comprised 5 trenches covering 50m 2 of the total development area, opened
to a depth of up to 1250mm. A representative sample, as agreed with the West of Scotland
Archaeology Service, of all of the uncovered features with archaeological potential was
investigated.
No material assessed to be of archaeological significance was recovered or identified.
On balance we propose that this evaluation has demonstrated that the proposed
development will not adversely impact on any archaeological remains and we recommend
that no further archaeological works are appropriate should the development proceed as
proposed.

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 Data Structure Report – Memorial Halls, Bothwell

Appendix 1: Trench Details

Within this appendix a standardised set of data pertaining to the evaluation trenches is
presented.
All measurement distances quoted along the trench measure based on the quoted
orientation of the trench. See Figure 1 for trench locations.
Trench 1

Orientation: Northwest to Southeast.

Size: 5.1m by 1.4m (7.14m 2).
Topsoil depth: 200 to 260mm.
Subsoil character Light Brown Clay.
Modern features: One Ceramic horseshoe field drain [103] aligned East to West.
Rig and Furrow: None.
Significant features: None.
Artefacts: None.

Trench 2

Orientation: West to East.

Size: 10m by 1.4m (14m 2).
Topsoil depth: 180mm.
Subsoil character Tan Clay.
Modern features: Two field drains, an oval ceramic drain [208] aligned Northeast to
Southwest and a horseshoe drain [207] in a rubble filled trench
aligned North to South.
Rig and Furrow: None.
Significant features: None.
Artefacts: None.

Trench 3

Orientation: East to West.

Size: 4.9m by 1.4m (6.86m 2).
Topsoil depth: 50mm.
Subsoil character Orange Brown Clay.
Modern features: None
Rig and Furrow: None.
Significant features: None.
Artefacts: None.

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 Data Structure Report – Memorial Halls, Bothwell

Trench 4

Orientation: South southeast to North northwest.

Size: 10.2m by 1.4m (14.28m 2).
Topsoil depth: 120mm to 160mm.
Subsoil character Brown Orange Clay.
Modern features: One ceramic field drain [404] aligned Southwest to Northeast. One
ceramic water drain [405] aligned East to West, and two red
sandstone walls [406] and [408] aligned East to West,
approximately 1.5m apart and 300mm and 450mm wide
respectively, both being left in a much reduced and degraded
state.
Rig and Furrow: None.
Significant features: None.
Artefacts: None.

Trench 5

Orientation: West to East.

Size: 5.5m by 1.4m (7.7m 2).
Topsoil depth: 200mm.
Subsoil character Brown Orange Clay.
Modern features: A block of concrete in the southeast corner of the trench and a
horseshoe ceramic drain [505] aligned Southwest to Northeast.
Rig and Furrow: None.
Significant features: None.
Artefacts: None.

Appendix 2: Record Summaries

Context Summaries
No. Interpretation Description
101 Gravel Surface Hard packed gravel surface
102 Subsoil Light Brown Clay
103 Ceramic Field Drain Aligned East to West, 300mm wide
104 Rubble General rubble, CBM, cinder and red ash from 490mm
to 670mm deep.
201 Topsoil Type 1 subbase, 180mm deep
202 Tarmac surface Black tarred surface 70mm deep

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 Data Structure Report – Memorial Halls, Bothwell

203 Made ground General rubble, CBM, slate, cinder and ash, 104mm
deep
205 Subsoil Tan clay
206 Cinder Ash Intermittent layer from +0m to +4.7m
207 Ceramic Field Drain Horseshoe drain within a rubble filled slot, aligned North
to South.
208 Ceramic Field Drain Oval drain aligned Northeast to Southwest
301 Gravel Surface Loose gravel layer 50mm deep
302 Subsoil Orange Brown Clay
303 Rubble General rubble CBM and cinder, 370mm deep
401 Topsoil Mid Brown Loam Clay
402 Subsoil Brown Orange Clay
403 Rubble Layer General demolition rubble, Ash, cinder, CBM, White
glaze ceramic. 300mm to 600mm deep
404 Ceramic Field Drain Aligned Southwest to Northeast
405 Foul water Drain 100mm diameter, aligned East to West
406 Possible Wall Two red sandstone blocks set within a cut, aligned East
to West.
407 Deposit Grey brown clay with coal fragments and white ceramic
shards present , up to 560mm deep
408 Wall Red Sandstone Wall, very degraded stone 400mm wide
and 30mm deep
501 Topsoil Mid Brown Loam Clay
502 Subsoil Brown Orange Clay
503 Demolition Layer General rubble, ash, cinder, CBM and white glaze,
420mm deep
504 Deposit Grey brown clay with coal fragments and white ceramic
shards present , up to 780mm deep.
505 Ceramic Field Drain Horseshoe drain, aligned Southwest to Northeast
506 Concrete Concrete block 860mm long by 800mm wide and 20mm
deep

Drawing Record
No. Title Scale Date Author
1 Site plan, Trenches 1,2,3,4 and 5 1:50 09/06/04 DG
and TR

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 Data Structure Report – Memorial Halls, Bothwell

Photographic Record
Film No. Description From Date

1 1 Trench 4 SSE 09/06/04

1 2 Trench 2 E 09/06/04
1 3 North facing Section of Trench 2 N 09/06/04
1 4 Rubble filled slot with ceramic drain [207] E 09/06/04
1 5 Trench 5 W 09/06/04
1 6 Trench 1 S 09/06/04
1 7 Trench 3 E 09/06/04

Appendix 3: Discovery & Excavation in Scotland

LOCAL AUTHORITY: South Lanarkshire
PROJECT TITLE/SITE Memorial Halls, Bothwell
NAME:
PARISH: Bothwell
NAME OF Douglas Gordon
CONTRIBUTOR:
NAME OF Rathmell Archaeology Limited
ORGANISATION:
TYPE(S) OF PROJECT: Evaluation
NMRS NO(S): None
SITE/MONUMENT Walls
TYPE(S):
SIGNIFICANT FINDS: None
NGR (2 letters, 6 figures) NS 704 586
START DATE (this season) 09th June 2004
END DATE (this season) 09th June 2004
PREVIOUS WORK (incl. None
DES ref.)
PROPOSED FUTURE None
WORK:
MAIN (NARRATIVE) A programme of archaeological investigative works was
DESCRIPTION: (may undertaken on 0.04ha of ground to be redeveloped at
include information from Memorial Halls, Bothwell. An archaeological evaluation
other fields) was undertaken.
Two walls were uncovered which pertained to a
demolished out building. No archaeological material
assessed to be of archaeological significance were
recovered or identified.
PROJECT CODE: 03021
SPONSOR OR FUNDING LBG Waterston
BODY:
ADDRESS OF MAIN 10 Ashgrove Workshops, Kilwinning, Ayrshire KA13 6PU
CONTRIBUTOR:
E MAIL: admin@rathmell-arch.co.uk
ARCHIVE LOCATION Report to West of Scotland Archaeology Service and
(intended/deposited) archive to National Monuments Record of Scotland.

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 Data Structure Report – Memorial Halls, Bothwell

Contact Details
Rathmell Archaeology can be contacted at its Registered Office or through the web:
Rathmell Archaeology Ltd
10 Ashgrove Workshops
Kilwinning
Ayrshire
KA13 6PU

www.rathmell-arch.co.uk

t.: 01294 542848 f.: 01294 542849

m.: 07817 334907 e.: admin@rathmell-arch.co.uk

The West of Scotland Archaeology Service can be contacted at their office or through the
web:

West of Scotland Archaeology Service

Charing Cross Complex
20 India Street
Glasgow
G2 4PF

www.wosas.org.uk

t.: 0141 287 8332-3 f.: 0141 287 9259

e.: enquiries@wosas.glasgow.gov.uk

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