WEST of SCOTLAND
ARCHAEOLOGYSERVICE
Annual Report of the West of Scotland Archaeology Service
2010/11
SummaryThis annual report covers the period from 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011.
During the report period the West of Scotland Archaeology Service dealt with 1776 new
casework items, thirteen more than in the previous year. Although coincidentally almost
identical in number to the total of new caseload items initiated in the previous year, there
were the usual variations on the type of casework within each Council area. Weekly lists ofplanning applications received from the eleven Councils and the Loch Lomond and Trossachs
National Park Authority made up 610 of the new work items. These were monitored to
identify applications raising potential archaeological issues. From the weekly lists, andthrough direct referrals from our planning colleagues, 818 new planning and listed building
applications were identified as potentially raising archaeological issues, and a further 348
other items of new casework were also dealt with or initiated.
New Casework 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011
Council Area
Total New Casework
Items
Argyll & Bute
529
East Ayrshire
118
East Renfrewshire
79
Glasgow
105
Inverclyde
72
North Ayrshire
117
Renfrewshire
95
South Ayrshire
125
South Lanarkshire
193
West Dunbartonshire
88
West Lothian168
National Park Authority
82
General/Multi-Council
5
Total
1776

Weekly lists

Planning Applications

Other

52
50
52
52
50
51
50
51
51
50
51
50

327
60
15
35
8
46
23
54
102
31
98
19

610

818

150
8
12
18
14
20
22
20
40
7
19
13
5
348

Because of uncertainties over the provision of archaeological advice after the retirement of the
Stirling Council Archaeologist, the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority
approached this Service and asked us to extend our provision of archaeological advice to themto include the area of the National Park within the Stirling Council area from April 2011.
Information relevant to sites within the National Park was made available by Stirling Council
from their Sites and Monuments Record, and work to integrate it into our existing Record wasundertaken in March 2011.
The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

1Over the report period, work was also carried out in respect of a further 1581 casework items
which had been initiated in previous years. This included monitoring and advising oncommercial archaeological work arising from conditions on consents granted previously, andfurther digitisation and disposal of the Service’s older paper records, which was carried out by
our part-time administrative assistant before her contract ended on 30 September 2010.
The 818 new planning and listed building applications identified as potentially raisingarchaeological issues constituted a decrease of 7.15% on the previous year’s total of 881. Thiswas only the third year since the Archaeology Service was formally established in 1997, andthe third year running, that the workload arising directly from new planning applications has
decreased, apparently as a result of the continuing poor economic conditions across thecountry. Nevertheless, in the period covered by this report 296 of the identified 818
applications (36.19%) raised archaeological issues which required advice from the Service.
Thus, if the data for North Lanarkshire Council are removed from earlier years’ figures toprovide a fair comparison, the overall number of planning applications raising archaeologicalissues was only slightly lower than the average (310) of the past four years.
Summary Table of Planning Applications 2006-2011
Nos. Identified for Comment
06/07 07/08 08/09 09/10
387
438
248
301
Argyll & Bute
91
108
78
82
East Ayrshire
49
29
28
29
East Renfrewshire
118
77
73
51
Glasgow
1024
98Inverclyde
77
87
58
53
North Ayrshire
55
78
52-North Lanarkshire
64
44
34
50
Renfrewshire
80
70
83
69
South Ayrshire
158
175
165
114
South Lanarkshire
32
42
40
34
West Dunbartonshire
69
106
67
76
West Lothian
19
21
21
14
National Park
Total
1209 1299
956
881

10/11
327
60
15
35
8
46
-23
54
102
31
98
19
818

Nos. Raising Archaeological Issues
06/07 07/08 08/09 09/10 10/11
88
91
76
97
82
23
16
26
32
28
6
6
12
12
6
26
22
23
13
14
6
5
3
4
2
32
22
28
19
23
24
22
15
--20
12
10
20
12
28
21
25
35
20
52
50
46
50
56
10
14
10
11
7
18
44
28
29
42
5
6
4
4
6
338
331
306
326
296

In addition to weekly lists and planning applications a further 348 items of other new work
were processed by the Service in 2010/11, an increase of 23.4% (see table below, figures forprevious year in brackets). This is the second year that this category of work has increased in
numbers, in contrast to the flattened trend in new planning applications, and the total is now
approaching the levels experienced prior to 2008.
Pre-planning application enquiries
Development Plan consultations
Permitted development enquiries
SRDP audits and other matters
Other Archaeological Consultations
Sites and Monuments Record information management matters
General or SMR enquiries
Policy liaison matters
Other (includes items sent in error)
Total

110 (87)7(9)
38 (23)73 (45)18 (31)94 (81)
7
(6)
0
(0)
1
(0)
348 (282)

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

2

In the report period 3,399 new site records were added to the Sites and Monuments Record
database, of which 2669 were imported from the Stirling Council SMR to prepare for theprovision of advice for the larger area of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park.
Amendments or additions were made to 671 existing site records, and 348 archaeologicalevents records were added, 158 of these from the Stirling Council SMR. A total of 179
archive records (index to reports received by the Service in paper and digital formats) werecreated, including 67 derived from Stirling Council’s records. There were 98 recorded
archaeological events (excavations, surveys, watching briefs, desk based assessments etc)
during the report period.

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

3

1

Running the Service

1.1

The Service's Steering Group met three times during the year to consider various
matters in connection with the running of the Service. The Service’s Joint Committee
met on 21 October 2010.

1.2

A surplus balance in the Service's reserve account of £149,888 was achieved at year
end (see Appendix 2). This was a smaller than projected reduction in the surplus
carried forward from the previous financial year, due to a smaller than expected fall inincome from fee-earning sources. Some long-term savings were made on employee
costs (offset slightly for this year only because of redundancy costs) when a part-time
staff member left in September 2010, and some short-terms savings continued to bemade on travel and subsistence, and on IT equipment purchase and maintenance.

1.3

There was a drop in external income to the Service as a result of the Manager giving
up the Chair of ALGAO:Scotland (Association of Local Government Archaeology
Officers). In the previous year, £9,000 had been received from ALGAO:Scotland tocover the Manager’s time working for the organization. However, an assessment of theeffects of this arrangement on Service performance led the Manager to step down
during the current report period. Work for ALGAO:Scotland up to that point had
generated £1,528 in reimbursement income. This fall in income was largely offset bygreater than estimated income from work done by the Service for the M74 Completionarchaeology contracts. £16,313 was received in 2010-11 for provision of M74
Completion archaeological advice, compared with £17,299 in the previous financial
year. While some small tasks remain to be completed, it is expected that this advice
service will to come to an end in the next financial year. There was a slight increase inincome from fees and charges for archaeological advice to other bodies, corresponding
to an increase in numbers of new work items. The Service’s hourly fee charge for thereport period was £70 plus VAT.

1.4

As with the previous year, there was a modest decrease in the Service’s planningcaseload during the report period as a result of the recession, but this downward trend
appears to be slowing further. There were few large, greenfield residential and town
centre commercial planning applications, which have previously generated the mostdeveloper-funded archaeological work. There was a modest pick-up in contacts with
the Service from commercial sector archaeologists working for private clients, either
seeking to implement archaeological conditions attached to planning consents, orevaluating archaeological issues in advance of a planning application or its
determination. Nevertheless, although there are few signs yet of a major economic
turn-around feeding through to increased levels of new planning applications, thenumber of pre-planning application enquiries to the Service increased by more than
26%.

1.5

The Service has continued to make extensive use of the Councils’ e-planning systems
for checking and responding to planning applications in a more time-efficient fashion,and the previously reported teething problems with the systems have largely been
eliminated. When occasional document download or website availability issues are
identified, they are brought to the attention of relevant staff in the Member Councils.
The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

4The improvements in access to online planning information have meant that we haveeffectively eradicated former communication difficulties which had in the past
resulted in application details being requested but not being made available.
1.6

Within the changing scope of available administration manpower through thereporting period, the Service has continued to offset the decrease in its planningcaseload work by working to improve and enhance the Sites and Monuments Record,
and to digitise and incorporate older paper records into the Service’s computerised
Consultations database. Enhancement work on the Sites and Monuments Record had
only rarely been possible when the Service was particularly busy with development
management work before the recession, so we continued to use the opportunity tocatch up with entering backlogged data.

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

52Sites and Monuments Record Maintenance and Development

2.1

During the report period 3,399 new site records were added to the Sites andMonuments Record database, 671 existing site records were amended, 348
archaeological events records were added, and 179 archive records were created(index to reports received by the Service in paper and digital formats). This was afurther substantial increase in Sites and Monuments Record enhancement work.

2.2

The Service’s web site (http://www.wosas.net) was updated over the report periodwith a further 35 news items from throughout the WoSAS area.

2.3

Previously, the Service’s Sites and Monuments Record map search had been put
online with the assistance of South Ayrshire Council’s ICT team. As part of ourcontinuing development of the resources available to the public, this map search has
been rebuilt to be more efficient and user-friendly, with more intuitive navigation,
information, and spatial search tools. The results of this development work can beaccessed at http://gis.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/mapsWosas/mapSMR.htm . Feedback
from users of all levels has been uniformly positive, but particularly from members of
the public. The map search allows members of the public and agents working fordevelopers to obtain their own desk based information free of charge. Whenconsidering the introduction of the map search facility, the benefits to the users had tobe weighed against the loss in fee income to the Service from commercial
archaeologists requiring such Sites and Monuments Record information for their workfor business clients. It was recognized that this might lead to a decrease in chargeable
requests for extracts of digital data from archaeological consultants, and therefore aconcomitant decrease in Service income. The ability to easily download very large
amounts of Sites and Monuments Record data from the online map search is currently
disabled. Digital Extracts of such large amounts of data are very useful for
manipulation within large scale Environmental Assessments. While previous Service
reports have recorded a steady and significant decrease in requests for Digital Extracts
from a peak of around one hundred per year in the period before 2008 to only 31 in the
2009/10 reporting period, there were 39 such requests in the current report period. It
now seems likely that some of the decrease in requests for large amounts of digital
data was the result of the recession rather than the availability of the online Sites andMonuments Record map search, and that numbers of requests for large-scale data
extracts will now stabilise.

2.4

As another new application in this reporting period, the WoSAS Sites and Monuments
Record can now be accessed on the move on the Apple iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.
Again with the assistance of development work by our colleagues at South Ayrshire
Council’s ICT team, an app has been developed to allow mobile access to summary
information on sites, monuments and archaeological events. The application isavailable at http://gis.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/mapsiOS/mapSMR.htm. Users without an
iPhone can get an idea of how the application works by going to
http://www.testiphone.com/, and entering the URL for the app.

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

6

3

3.1

3.2

3.3

Advice to Argyll & Bute Council
Development Plan Advice
During the report period the Service continued to provide advice for the Argyll andBute Woodlands and Forestry Strategy. The Service contributed to the Consultation
with Key Agencies workshop meetings for the Argyll and Bute Local Development
Plan.
Development Management Advice
Over the report period 52 weekly lists of planning applications from the Council weremonitored by the Service and 327 new planning applications were identified as raisingpotential archaeological issues, either by the Archaeology Service or by Council staff.
Argyll & Bute Council remained the largest Council user of the development
management advice service over the report period.
The 327 new planning applications received the following responses from the Service
in terms of the advice contained in National Planning Policy Guideline 5 and Planning
Advice Note 42:
Refusal of planning application recommended
Archaeological assessment or evaluation prior to determination required
Negative suspensive condition requiring archaeological excavation
Archaeological watching brief condition required
Avoidance/protection within or to side of development
Other condition e.g. archaeological mitigation strategy required
Refer to Historic Scotland (Scheduled Ancient Monument)
No issue, no action possible or necessary, including no issue after further work

2
11
38
20
1
1
9
245

Altogether 82 of the identified planning applications required some form of responseto mitigate the effects of the proposals on archaeological remains.
3.4

Refusal of the planning application was recommended in respect of two proposals –erection of a dwelling house with septic tank to the southeast of Dun Mhuiraguel,
Coille Braigh, Taynuilt, and the installation of a mini hydro scheme, Balnabraid Glen,
Campbeltown. Both proposals were located immediately adjacent to Scheduled
Ancient Monuments (the first an Iron Age Fort and the second a Bronze Age burial
cairn). The former application was granted by the Council subject to a condition toensure access arrangements are amended at the detailed matters stage to minimize
visual impacts, and the latter proposal was amended to minimize visual impact of thebuilding and to move cable trenching further from the scheduled area.

3.5

Archaeological monitoring of site preparation work for a new house at
Killinochonoch, Kilmichael Glassary, near Kilmartin was carried out by Argyll
Archaeology in response to a planning condition. Initial topsoil stripping revealed
evidence of a prehistoric ring-ditch round-house from which a saddle quern, a stone
door jamb, stone tools and coarse pottery sherds were recovered. Full analysis has still
to be completed, but it is likely that the house is of Bronze Age or Iron Age date, and

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

7

3.6

3.7

3.8

if so, will be the first prehistoric domestic structure to be found in this area, wheresuch a concentration of tombs and ritual monuments can still be seen. (For further
information see http://www.wosas.net news section, 10.11.10 – Location, Location,
Location!).
Fieldwork by Argyll Archaeology on land for a new housing development inGlenshellach, Oban uncovered remains of two quite separate periods of humanactivity. Previous work in the area over the past twenty years has shown it to be rich inarchaeological remains, and because of this, the Service recommended the attachmentof an archaeological condition to the Council’s consent for the development. Early
evaluation of the site recorded structural remains from what seems to be a farm shownon General Roy’s Military Survey of Scotland (1747-55), but which had beenabandoned before 1874 when the first Ordnance Survey map of the area was surveyed.
Under quite deep soils nearby there were remains of much earlier activity, with aseries of features showing evidence of burning and heating of stones near a large pit
beside a burn. It is thought that this is the plough-truncated site of a burnt mound,normally interpreted as prehistoric cooking or feasting sites where heated stones wereused to boil water for cooking in a lined pit. No dateable artefacts were found at thedepth of these features, adding circumstantial evidence of their antiquity. (For further
information see http://www.wosas.net news section, 27.11.10 – Further Fieldworkfrom Glenshellach).
Following the positive results of an archaeological evaluation by Argyll Archaeology
of a proposed development site at Crunachy Farm, Bridge of Awe in 2008, GUARD
Archaeology won a contract to excavate what turned out to be a significant prehistoriccremation cemetery on behalf of the developer before house construction was allowed
to start. To meet the requirements of the planning condition, topsoil was carefully
removed from areas where development was to take place, and the features anddeposits revealed were excavated. A number of post-holes and a large number of pits
containing charcoal and burnt bone were excavated. Where burnt bone was identified,
all of the feature fill was removed for later careful analysis, although this has still to becompleted. (For further information see http://www.wosas.net news section, 04.03.11– Further Excavation of Cremation Cemetery at Bridge of Awe).
Other Advice within the Council's Area
During the report period advice was provided to a variety of clients, including Council
staff, in respect of 150 other items of casework, including 23 pre-application enquiries
and 17 statutory undertaker enquiries (predominantly from Scottish and Southern
Energy and Scottish Water) 5 of which were subject to separate charging. There were
3 Sites and Monuments Record enquiries from members of the public.

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

8

4

Advice to East Ayrshire Council

4.1

Development Plan Advice
There were no requests for assistance from the Council during the report period in
respect of development plan advice.

4.2

4.3

Development Management Advice
Over the report period 50 weekly lists of planning applications from the Council weremonitored by the Service and 60 new planning applications were identified as raisingpotential archaeological issues, either by the Archaeology Service or by Council staff.
The 60 new planning applications received the following responses from the Service
in terms of the advice contained in National Planning Policy Guideline 5 and Planning
Advice Note 42:
Archaeological assessment or evaluation prior to determination required
Negative suspensive condition requiring archaeological excavation
Archaeological watching brief condition required
Avoidance/protection within or to side of development
Standings buildings survey condition
No issue, no action possible or necessary, including no issue after further work

8
10
8
1
1
32

Altogether 28 of the identified planning applications required some form of responseto mitigate the effects of the proposals on archaeological remains.
4.4

A programme of desk-based study, archaeological walkover survey, historic building
recording, field evaluation by trial trenching, and further mitigation fieldwork by CFA
Archaeology Ltd continued in advance of open-cast coal extraction in the upper
reaches of the valley of the River Nith west of New Cumnock. Where such radical
changes to the landscape are to take place, the lead-in period for archaeologicalmitigation work can extend over several years. Archaeological mitigation measures
are phased to precede the coal mining operations with the minimum of disruption

4.5

Archaeological monitoring by AOC Archaeology Ltd during development at
Greenholm Road, Cumnock recovered evidence of pottery waster dumps from the
nearby Cumnock Pottery. Waster dumps contain broken pots or failed firings alongwith kiln waste and other debris from pottery production. They are valuable sources of
information about the techniques and technology used by potters at various times in
the history of a pottery factory, and finds made in such dumps can help to identify
wares that have not previously been associated with the production site, or details of
the processes followed which have not been recorded in documents.

4.6

An archaeological watching brief by Rathmell Archaeology Ltd was carried out
during the groundbreaking works required for the upgrading of a car parking area andother public realm works at Church Lane, Galston. This work allowed observations to
be made of below-ground conditions in one of the oldest parts of the town, next to thepre-modern crossing-place of the Galston Burn, close to the early parish church site.
Structural remains from the early modern period were revealed and recorded where
The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

9they were to be affected by the new work. The indicated depth of man-made deposits
within parts of the site means that it is possible that medieval deposits may survive
below the levels which were disturbed by the recent works.

4.7

4.8

Other Advice within the Council's Area
During the report period advice was provided to a variety of clients, including Council
staff, in respect of 8 other items of casework, including 4 pre-application enquiries and1 statutory undertaker enquiry, of which 2 were subject to separate charging. Therewas 1 Sites and Monuments Record enquiry from a member of the public.
Advice on the archaeological sensitivity of sites and structures and possible mitigation
measures was given to Council staff drawing up proposals for remedial works ondamaged or endangered churchyard walls and tombs within burial grounds in ruralparts of the Council area.

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

105

Advice to East Renfrewshire Council

5.1

Development Plan Advice
There were no requests for assistance from the Council during the report period in
respect of development plan advice.

5.2

5.3

Development Management Advice
Over the report period 52 weekly lists of planning applications from the Council weremonitored by the Service and 15 new planning applications were identified as raisingpotential archaeological issues, either by the Archaeology Service or by Council staff.
The 15 new planning applications received the following responses from the Service
in terms of the advice contained in National Planning Policy Guideline 5 and Planning
Advice Note 42:
Archaeological assessment or evaluation prior to determination required
Negative suspensive condition requiring archaeological excavation
Archaeological watching brief condition required
Other condition e.g. archaeological mitigation strategy required
No issue, no action possible or necessary, including no issue after further work

2
2
1
1
9

Altogether 6 of the identified planning applications required some form of response to
mitigate the effects of the proposals on archaeological remains.
5.4

A programme of historic building recording, and an archaeological watching brief
during alterations to Caldwell Tower, Uplawmoor was commenced by Rathmell
Archaeology Ltd. The tower, which is the last upstanding component of what wasonce a castle, had been restored and is a category ‘B’ Listed Building. It was on theCouncil’s Buildings at Risk Register, and after lengthy discussions between the ownerand the planning service, consent was granted to permit alterations and an extension to
the building to form a house. Work has still to be completed, but an earlier evaluation
indicated that the field around the tower still retains evidence of a larger, medieval
castle. The developer’s detailed discussions with the Council as advised by theArchaeology Service, resulted in modified plans excluding new development from theareas where the castle remains are likely to survive best.

5.5

During the report period the final intensive farm survey reports from the Eaglesham
civil parish area were supplied to the Archaeology Service by members of the
Association of Certificated Field Archaeologists (ACFA). New sites identified by thesurveys have been fully incorporated into the Sites and Monuments Record.

5.6

Other Advice within the Council's Area
During the report period advice was provided to a variety of clients, including Council
staff, in respect of 12 other items of casework, including 5 pre-application enquiries
and 2 statutory undertaker enquiries which were subject to separate charging. There
were no Sites and Monuments Record enquiries from members of the public.

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

11

6

6.1

6.2

6.3

Advice to Glasgow City Council
Development Plan Advice
Advice was provided to the Council in assessing known archaeological sites and areasof archaeological potential before identifying proposed land release areas in the
updated Glasgow City Plan.
Development Management Advice
Over the report period 52 weekly lists of planning applications from the Council weremonitored by the Service and 35 new planning applications were identified as raisingpotential archaeological issues, either by the Archaeology Service or by Council staff.
The 35 new planning applications received the following responses from the Service
in terms of the advice contained in National Planning Policy Guideline 5 and Planning
Advice Note 42:
Archaeological assessment or evaluation prior to determination required
Negative suspensive condition requiring archaeological excavation
Archaeological watching brief condition required
Other condition e.g. archaeological mitigation strategy required
Refer to Historic Scotland (Scheduled Ancient Monument)
No issue, no action possible or necessary, including no issue after further work

2
8
1
1
2
21

Altogether 14 of the identified planning applications required some form of responseto mitigate the effects of the proposals on archaeological remains.
6.4

The Archaeology Service continued to provide advice to the Council and its project
partners in connection with managing archaeological work on the CommonwealthGames Athletes’ Village site, including the transition between work by AOC
Archaeology Ltd during the Council’s ground remediation contract and subsequentarchaeological work by CFA Archaeology during the developer’s site preparation
work for the construction of the Athletes’ Village. Excavations continued on the site toreveal important early industrial remains of the first Glasgow Water Works datingfrom 1809, the first industrial period municipal water supply, and a project advised byJames Watt and supported by Thomas Telford.

6.5

Following the evaluation by GUARD (Glasgow University Archaeological Research
Division) reported on last year, parts of the site of the Saracen, or Possil Pottery wereexcavated by Rathmell Archaeology Ltd in advance of development by the City
Council. Excavation revealed a more complex history for the Pottery, uncovering two
previously unknown kiln bases within a late extension to the works, and a novel
construction technique used to form one of the later rebuilt kilns on a concrete ringfoundation.

6.6

An archaeological watching brief was carried out during the upgrading of floodlights
at Glasgow Cathedral by Rebecca Shaw Archaeological Services. Along with aquantity of disarticulated human remains were found two fragments of finely carved

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

12white marble decoration in the form of foliage which appear to be from a preReformation altar or shrine. Although the Cathedral building itself survived theReformers’ iconoclastic zeal, internal features associated with the pre-Reformation
liturgy were smashed and removed.

6.7

Other Advice within the Council's Area
During the report period advice was provided to a variety of clients, including Council
staff, in respect of 18 other items of casework, including 7 pre-application enquiries, 2of which were subject to separate charging. There was 1 Sites and Monuments Record
enquiry from a member of the public. There were also 3 enquiries from other Council
departments regarding archaeological matters affected by their projects in the city.

6.8

Advice was provided to the City Council’s Land and Environment Services engineers
regarding the quality of archaeological mitigation measures during the construction of
the East End Regeneration Route linking the M74 to the M8 across the east end of thecity close to the Commonwealth Games venues.

6.9

Advice and an extract of SMR data was provided to The British Waterways Board toassist them in the development of a land managements tool to identify issues relating
to the Forth and Clyde Canal, a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

13

7

Advice to Inverclyde Council

7.1

Development Plan Advice
There were no requests for assistance from the Council during the report period in
respect of development plan advice.

7.2

7.3

Development Management Advice
Over the report period 50 weekly lists of planning applications from the Council weremonitored by the Service and 8 new planning applications were identified as raisingpotential archaeological issues by the Archaeology Service.
The 8 new planning applications received the following responses from the Service interms of the advice contained in National Planning Policy Guideline 5 and Planning
Advice Note 42:
Negative suspensive condition requiring archaeological excavation
Archaeological watching brief condition required
No issue, no action possible or necessary, including no issue after further work

1
1
6

Altogether 2 of the identified planning applications required some form of response to
mitigate the effects of the proposals on archaeological remains, and building recording
work carried out by the Archaeology Service while assessing 2 of the remaining cases
resolved potential archaeological issues without the need for further mitigation.
7.4

7.5

7.6

Following the discovery of a number of coins on a Council planting and landscaping
project in Port Glasgow, work was halted to determine if a serious archaeological issue
had been identified. Staff from the Archaeology Service attended on the day to assess
the finds and their archaeological context. Project work was able to re-start
immediately, as it was apparent to the Archaeology Service that the finds had comefrom a disturbed context which was not part of an important prehistoric site. Further
expert analysis revealed that the coins, although of various ancient types, were in fact
relatively modern facsimiles of limited value which may have been sold to an
unwitting collector. The circumstances in which they were found suggests that they
had been hidden in a hole in the ground, possibly after a local robbery.
Other Advice within the Council's Area
During the report period advice was provided to a variety of clients, including Council
staff, in respect of 14 other items of casework, 2 of which were pre-applicationenquiries and 1 was from a statutory undertaker.
During the report period the Historic Scotland Scheduling Team continued their workin Inverclyde (and in neighbouring Renfrewshire) in preparation for amending, andadding to the Schedule of Ancient Monuments. .The Archaeology Service supplied
Sites and Monuments Record information and advice to Historic Scotland staff toinform their site selection procedure.

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

148

Advice to North Ayrshire Council

8.1

Development Plan Advice
There were no requests for assistance from the Council during the report period in
respect of development plan advice.

8.2

8.3

Development Management Advice
Over the report period 51 weekly lists of planning applications from the Council weremonitored by the Service and 46 new planning applications were identified as raisingpotential archaeological issues, either by the Archaeology Service or by Council staff.
The 46 identified planning applications received the following responses from theService in terms of the advice contained in National Planning Policy Guideline 5 andPlanning Advice Note 42:
Archaeological assessment or evaluation prior to determination required
Negative suspensive condition requiring archaeological excavation
Archaeological watching brief condition requiredStandings buildings survey condition
Other condition e.g. archaeological mitigation strategy required
No issue, no action possible or necessary, including no issue after further work

3
7
11
1
1
23

Altogether 23 of the identified planning applications required some form of responseto mitigate the effects of the proposals on archaeological remains.
8.4

Detailed discussions regarding the scope of mitigation fieldwork were held between
the Archaeology Service on behalf of the Council and GUARD (Glasgow University
Archaeological Research Division) on behalf of the prospective developer of Fairlie
Castle, a late medieval tower-house. As the castle tower, but not the area around its
walls, is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, discussions also included Historic Scotland,
who administer consent procedures for all works directly affecting Scheduled
Monuments on behalf of the Scottish Ministers. Although tower-houses are now
thought of as isolated structures, almost all of them were originally part of a complex
of domestic buildings which have rarely survived. Remains of these ancillary
structures can often be found around the tower-house, and developers’ plans have totake need of this possibility when designing the new-build elements required to bringan ancient building back into use. The Archaeology Service continues to advise ourplanning colleagues on what is the most appropriate way for the developer toimplement archaeological conditions attached to consents.

8.5

Planning consent to convert a former Mission Hall at Perceton in Irvine to use as adomestic home was conditional on avoiding damage to the adjacent early churchyard
and its surviving structural remains. The Archaeology Service provided advice to thedeveloper to allow him to design the development without compromising thesurviving sensitive archaeological remains.

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

15

8.6

Other Advice within the Council’s Area
During the report period advice was provided to a variety of clients, including Council
staff, in respect of 20 other items of casework, including 9 pre-application enquiries
and 2 statutory undertaker enquiries. There were also 3 enquiries from Council
departments regarding archaeological matters which might affect Council projects, and2 Sites and Monuments Record enquiries from members of the public.

8.7

The Archaeology Service provided advice on site selection to the Council’s Project
manager for the proposed development of a new leisure centre in Irvine. The currently
preferred site sits within the historic settlement area associated with the medieval
burgh of Irvine, and any development will involve careful programming to takeaccount of the archaeological potential of the area.

8.8

The Archaeology Service continued to liaise with Rathmell Archaeology Ltd and with
Historic Scotland about fieldwork in and around the Scheduled Ancient Monument ofKilwinning Abbey as part of the local Community Archaeology Project. This Lotteryfunded project involved community volunteers in small-scale excavations in andaround the abbey grounds to clarify the development history of the site. The Service
provided comments on the proposal and a letter of support for funding applications,which were ultimately successful and led to a very successful programme of
excavations led by Rathmell Archaeology Ltd. in autumn 2010.

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

16

9Advice to Renfrewshire Council

9.1

Development Plan Advice
There were no requests for advice from the Council in respect of the development planover the report period.

9.2

9.3

Development Management Advice
Over the report period 50 weekly lists of planning applications from the Council weremonitored by the Service and 23 new planning applications were identified as raisingpotential archaeological issues, either by the Archaeology Service or by Council staff.
The 23 new planning applications received the following responses from the Service
in terms of the advice contained in National Planning Policy Guideline 5 and Planning
Advice Note 42:
Archaeological assessment or evaluation prior to determination required
Negative suspensive condition requiring archaeological excavation
Archaeological watching brief condition required
No issue, no action possible or necessary, including no issue after further work

2
5
5
11

Altogether 12 of the identified planning applications required some form of responseto mitigate the effects of the proposals on archaeological remains.
9.4

In May 2010 a site meeting at the former Royal Ordnance Factory in Bishopton
between the Archaeology Service on behalf of the Council, and Rathmell Archaeology
Ltd on behalf of the developers, discussed the scope of an Archaeological Mitigation
Strategy for the site. This marked the beginning of a major programme of various
archaeological mitigation measures designed to accompany the remediation andredevelopment of the site. In addition to many other factors, the Council’s consent for
redevelopment of the munitions factory complex includes conditions recommended by
the Archaeology Service which require the completion of an analytical historicbuilding survey of the factory’s structures and processing areas before remediation of
the site, and a scheme of field evaluation of less-disturbed areas within the proposeddevelopment area before development can take place. Should significant remains befound, further mitigation measures will have to be put in place. Analytical building
recording work was almost complete by the end of this report period, and initial field
evaluations had commenced.

9.5

Consent for an extension to the Watermill Hotel at Lonend in Paisley included acondition requiring the developer to record any earlier remains within the site which
would be affected by the new hotel extension. Rathmell Archaeology Ltd carried out
an evaluation for the developer. Following discussions on-site with the Archaeology
Service, the trail trenching was followed up by targeted excavations which recorded
the significant surviving details of an eighteenth century range of commercial
buildings which had previously occupied the site.

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

17

9.6

Other Advice within the Council's Area
During the report period advice was provided to a variety of clients, including Council
staff, in respect of 22 other items of casework, which included 6 pre-applicationenquiries. There was 1 Sites and Monuments Record enquiry from a member of the
public.

9.7

During Scottish Archaeology Month in September 2010, a second season of limitedarchaeological excavation was carried out on the site of major medieval drain at
Paisley Abbey by local volunteers led by GUARD (Glasgow University
Archaeological Research Division) and the Renfrewshire Local History Forum. This
excavation extended its investigations of the deposits surrounding the drain and thecharacter of the stonework itself. Nearby and a little earlier in the year, archaeologists
working for Addyman Archaeology on behalf of the church authorities examined theburied remains of the demolished west range of the abbey’s cloister as a prelude to afuture abbey project. Advice and assistance was offered to both project teams throughdiscussions on SMR records of previous archaeological work in the area. Bothexcavations have added to our knowledge of the structures in the pre-Reformationmonastic precinct.

9.8

During the report period the Historic Scotland Scheduling Team continued their workin Renfrewshire (and in neighbouring Inverclyde) in preparation for amending, andadding to the Schedule of Ancient Monuments. .The Archaeology Service supplied
Sites and Monuments Record information and advice to Historic Scotland staff toinform their site selection procedure.

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

18

10

Advice to South Ayrshire Council

10.1

Development Plan Advice
Advice was provided to the Council in connection with the South Ayrshire Local
Development Plan.

10.2

10.3

Development Management Advice
Over the report period 51 weekly lists of planning applications from the Council weremonitored by the Service and 54 new planning applications were identified as raisingpotential archaeological issues, either by the Archaeology Service or by Council staff.
The 54 new planning applications received the following responses from the Service
in terms of the advice contained in National Planning Policy Guideline 5 and Planning
Advice Note 42:
Archaeological assessment or evaluation prior to determination required
Negative suspensive condition requiring archaeological excavation
Archaeological watching brief condition required
No issue, no action possible or necessary, including no issue after further work

5
3
12
34

Altogether 20 of the identified planning applications required some form of responseto mitigate the effects of the proposals on archaeological remains.
10.4

An archaeological evaluation by trial trenching by Headland Archaeology Ltd,
followed by a partial area excavation, took place in October 2010 at Corton Farm,south-east of Ayr. This was part of the first phase of a large housing development in
the area. The evaluation uncovered pits, post-holes and sections of curving ditches andgullies. Expansion around these features to clear an area for early infrastructure
installations for the main development revealed what is likely to be the remains ofprehistoric a farm or small settlement. The dateable finds included pottery and an
Arran pitchstone stone tool. These finds appear to indicate activity in the Neolithic
period. Most interestingly, this site is in an area with quite heavy soils, previously
thought to have been unsuitable for prehistoric settlement.

10.5

Archaeological evaluation was carried out by AOC Archaeology Ltd on a site
proposed for housing development at Greenan, Ayr. Previous work in the vicinityfrom 1998 onwards had identified evidence of prehistoric activity. During the current
fieldwork, two pits were identified, along with a possible fire pit, and a large numberof lithics were recovered. Artefacts recovered from the pit features suggested a
Neolithic date, reinforcing evidence provided by a Neolithic polished stone axe
recovered during field-walking on the site in 2001. However, the lithic material
recovered recently appears to be Mesolithic in date. There little or no match between
where the lithics have been recovered and where there appear to be underlying features
cut into the subsoil. This may be because features which once existed have beenploughed out, or because the flints have shifted during soil movement. It is also
possible that prehistoric activity from which the flint scatters derive were of aparticularly transient nature which failed to leave an impact on the subsoil surface.

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

19

10.6

Other Advice in the Council's Area
During the report period advice was provided to a variety of clients, including Council
staff, in respect of 20 other items of casework, including 15 pre-application enquiries
4 of which were subject to separate charging, 2 enquiries from statutory undertakers,
and 1 Sites and Monuments Record enquiry from a member of the public.

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

20

11

11.1

11.2

11.3

Advice to South Lanarkshire Council
Development Plan Advice
During the report period advice was provided to the Council in connection with theSouth Lanarkshire Minerals Local Development Plan Main Issues Report andStrategic Environmental Assessment.
Development Management Advice
Over the report period 51 weekly lists of planning applications were received from theCouncil for monitoring by the Service and 102 new planning applications wereidentified as raising potential archaeological issues, either by the Archaeology Service
or by Council staff.
The 102 identified planning applications received the following responses from theService in terms of the advice contained in National Planning Policy Guideline 5 andPlanning Advice Note 42:
Refusal of planning application recommended
Archaeological assessment or evaluation prior to determination required
Negative suspensive condition requiring archaeological excavation
Archaeological watching brief condition required
Refer to Historic Scotland (Scheduled Ancient Monument)
No issue, no action possible or necessary, including no issue after further work

1
9
22
23
1
46

Altogether 56 of the identified planning applications required some form of responseto mitigate the effects of the proposals on archaeological remains.
11.4

Refusal of planning consent was recommended in respect of an application for the reerection of the Covenanters Memorial and the erection of a residential development on
a field adjacent to Hamilton Road, Bothwell. The proposed site has long been
associated in the public eye with the Battle of Bothwell Bridge, a nationally importantmilitary engagement which took place in 1679 between Covenanter rebels and troops
representing the government of the day. The monument to the fallen Covenanters
referred to in this application currently stands at the northern end of the present
Bothwell Bridge, where the main fighting took place. This battlefield was the only
battle site within the Council’s area which featured in the Scottish Battlefields
Inventory which was in the advanced stages of preparation at the time of theapplication. Our advice was based on a belief that the housing application constituted
overdevelopment of a recognized cultural site, and that the relocation of the monumentfrom the centre of the battle site to a point from which the bridge that gives the battle
its name would not be visible was inappropriate.

11.5

GUARD (Glasgow University Archaeological Research Division) found fragments ofa Bronze Age collared urn during a programme of trial trenching in advance of the
expansion of existing mineral workings at Snabe Quarry near Drumclog, in South
Lanarkshire in 2009. This discovery was made during monitoring work required as acondition of planning consent. Further work at Snabe, just a little way north of the

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

21earlier discovery, has revealed more evidence of prehistoric activity. This time a small
concentration of features was uncovered which represented the remains of pits or postholes. One large pit, when excavated, was found to contain over 200 fragments ofearly Neolithic pottery in what appears to have been a deliberate deposit. Many
vessels are represented by the pottery sherds recovered and these appear to be
examples of what is broadly termed the carinated bowl tradition, the earliest form ofpottery known to have been produced in Scotland. A smaller pit nearby was found tocontain a fragment of a polished stone axe, another type of object characteristic of the
Neolithic period and sometimes found in association with deposits of carinated bowls.
Though further analysis of the finds and radiocarbon dating will be undertaken toprovide accurate dates for these discoveries, the evidence recovered strongly suggests
human activity at Snabe between 5500 and 6000 years ago. (For further information
see http://www.wosas.net news section, 16.08.10. - Curious behaviour in South
Lanarkshire).
11.6

11.7

In October 2010 Rebecca Shaw Archaeological Services carried out a watching brief
during the construction of an extension to a house in Bereholm, Lesmahagow. The
work was in response to a condition attached to the Council’s consent on therecommendation of the Archaeology Service because of the site’s proximity to theremains of the medieval Lemahagow Priory and an early mill-lade. Remains of abuilding which appeared to be of late medieval date were exposed in one foundation
trench and sherds of medieval pottery were recovered. Following an assessment of thecosts of further archaeological mitigation through excavation of the exposed remains,the developer’s engineer redesigned the foundations to avoid damage to the medieval
structure and associated deposits, which could then be left sealed in situ, in accordancewith government policy.
Other Advice within the Council's Area
During the report period advice was provided to a variety of clients, including Council
staff, in respect of 40 other items of casework, including 26 pre-application enquiries
and 4 enquiries from statutory undertakers of which total 7 were subject to separate
charging.

11.8

Advice, map extracts, and a Sites and Monuments Record data download were
provided to a local heritage group in Rutherglen who wished to carry out a survey ofsurviving burgh boundary stones for the royal burgh of Rutherglen. In exchange forthe advice and assistance provided, the local group submitted their updated survey
information to the Sites and Monuments Record to be available for future resource
management purposes.

11.9

In January 2011, the Archaeology Service met with Historic Scotland and theirbattlefield consultants from the Centre for Battlefield Archaeology at Glasgow
University following a period of consultation and advice on battlefields in the Council
area. Advice was provided to Historic Scotland on their proposal to include the battle
site at Drumclog Moor in the first update of the Scottish Battlefields Inventory.

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

22

12

Advice to West Dunbartonshire Council

12.1

Development Plan Advice
Advice was provided to the Council in connection with the West Dunbartonshire
Local Development Plan.

12.2

12.3

Development Management Advice
Over the report period 50 weekly lists of planning applications were received from theCouncil for monitoring by the Service and 31 new planning applications wereidentified as raising potential archaeological issues, either by the Archaeology Service
or by Council staff.
The 31 new planning applications received the following responses from the Service
in terms of the advice contained in National Planning Policy Guideline 5 and Planning
Advice Note 42:
Negative suspensive condition requiring archaeological excavation
Archaeological watching brief condition required
Refer to Historic Scotland (Scheduled Ancient Monument)
No issue, no action possible or necessary, including no issue after further work

3
3
1
24

Altogether 7 of the identified planning applications required some form of response to
mitigate the effects of the proposals on archaeological remains.
12.4

12.5

12.6

Sherds of Samian pottery, a fine Roman tableware, were found by Rebecca Shaw
Archaeological Services during monitoring of the construction of an extension to ahouse in Old Kilpatrick. The condition requiring such monitoring was recommended
by the Archaeology Service because the proposed development lay close to both theAntonine Wall and to the site of the Roman Fort that formed its western terminus.
The house to be extended sits close to the presumed line of the Military Way, the mainroad into and out of the fort, and which also connected the various frontier
installations. The site was also in an area where it had been suggested that there may
have been a vicus, or civilian settlement associated with the Roman fort. Samian ware
has been extensively studied, and post-excavation analysis suggests that the pottery
found was produced in the Central Gaulish workshop of Lezoux during the 2nd
century AD, possibly between AD140 and AD 180. .
Other Advice within the Council's Area
During the report period advice was provided to a variety of clients, including Council
staff, in respect of 7 other items of casework, including 1 enquiry from a statutory
undertaker, and 2 pre-application enquiries, which were subject to separate charging.
Advice and recording assistance was provided to Council staff prior to the closure of
Old Kilpatrick Library, where what has been identified as a pre-Reformation
baptismal font was found to be in use as a planter outside the building. The font has
since been taken into storage for safe-keeping.

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

23

13

Advice to West Lothian Council

13.1

Development Plan Advice
Advice was provided to the Council in connection with the Main Issues Report of
SESplan, the Strategic Development Plan for Edinburgh and South East Scotland.

13.2

13.3

Development Management Advice
Over the report period 51 weekly lists of planning applications were received from theCouncil for monitoring by the Service and 98 new planning applications wereidentified as raising potential archaeological issues, either by the Archaeology Service
or by Council staff. In addition further work was done in respect of 9 planningapplications submitted in previous years.
The 98 identified planning applications received the following responses from theService in terms of the advice contained in National Planning Policy Guideline 5 andPlanning Advice Note 42:
Archaeological assessment or evaluation prior to determination required
Negative suspensive condition requiring archaeological excavation
Archaeological watching brief condition required
Avoidance/protection within or to side of development
Other condition e.g. archaeological mitigation strategy required
Refer to Historic Scotland (scheduled monument)
No issue, no action possible or necessary, including no issue after further work

8
9
16
1
1
5
58

Altogether 40 of the identified planning applications required some form of responseto mitigate the effects of the proposals on archaeological remains.
13.4

Archaeological monitoring by AOC Archaeology Ltd during development of an
improved access to Linlithgow Sports Club from Edinburgh Road uncovered remainsof a post-medieval farmstead and an early modern period mill lade which appeared tohave diverted a natural stream into and through the farmstead. The Archaeology
Servie recommended mitigation measures because of the proximity of thedevelopment to the site of St Magdalen’s hospital, a pre-Reformation religious
foundation.

13.5

Archaeological monitoring was carried out by Headland Archaeology Ltd. during theconstruction of a new section of cycle path through the Hopetoun House Estate anddesigned landscape. The area was of increased sensitivity because of the proximity of
the new track to Abercorn Church, the earliest parts of which date from the 12th
century . The church is situated on the site of an earlier Anglian monastery dating to
the 7th century, the ‘Aebbercurnig’ recorded by Bede. No evidence was found of the
Anglian monastery, but medieval to early post medieval activity was demonstrated byfinds in midden deposits dumped down the steep slope to the west of the churchyard
wall. The discovery of these deposits suggests that the route of the cycle path lay atthe edge of an area of occupation, with the sloping ground to the west of the church
being used as a rubbish dump. The most remarkable feature of the artefacts recovered

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

24

from this midden material was the proportion of imports from northern Europe. Fiveout of seven finds were imported, including four sherds of late medieval to early postmedieval stoneware from the Rhineland and a late medieval Flemish floor tile.
Flemish floor tiles are found in large quantities on 15th century sites in eastern
Scotland. They were used to floor high status buildings and are particularly, though
not exclusively associated with ecclesiastical sites. Associated local pottery includes
only two sherds of locally made jugs. The finds might all have been deposited during
the sixteenth century. Though the assemblage is too small to be statistically reliable,
the finds do hint at unusual links across the North Sea

13.6

Other Advice within the Council's Area
During the report period advice was provided to a variety of clients, including Council
staff, in respect of 19 other items of casework, including 11 pre-application enquiriesof which 5 were subject to separate charging, 1 enquiry from a statutory undertaker,
and 1 Sites and Monuments Record enquiry from a member of the public.

13.7

In February 2011, the Archaeology Service met with Historic Scotland and theirbattlefield consultants from the Centre for Battlefield Archaeology at Glasgow
University following a period of consultation and advice on battlefields in the Council
area. Advice was provided to Historic Scotland on their proposal to include the site of
the Battle of Linlithgow Bridge in the first update of the Scottish Battlefields
Inventory.

13.8

Advice was provided to the owner of a property within the defined Historic Settlement
area of the medieval Royal burgh of Linlithgow. The building had been identified as
being in danger of failing and needed underpinning. It had already been determinedthat planning consent would not be required for the works, so no archaeologicalcondition could be applied, but the owner wished to take forward the remedial works
in a responsible manner with regard to potential damage to archaeological remains.
Advice was offered on possible archaeological issues which the project’s engineer
might wish to consider, and the Archaeology Service offered to visit the site during
the works to gather information for the Sites and Monuments Record.

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

25

14

The Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority

14.1

Archaeological advice is provided to the National Park Authority under the terms of achargeable Service Level Agreement. In the year 2010-11 the National Park Authority
paid £13,254 to the Service for archaeological advice.

14.2

14.3

14.4

Development Plan Advice
There were no requests for advice from the Park Authority in respect of thedevelopment plan over the report period.
Development Management Advice
Over the report period 51 weekly lists of planning applications were received from theCouncil for monitoring by the Service and 19 new planning applications wereidentified as raising potential archaeological issues by the Archaeology Service or
National Park Authority staff.
The 19 new planning applications received the following responses from the Service
in terms of the advice contained in National Planning Policy Guideline 5 and Planning
Advice Note 42:
Archaeological assessment or evaluation prior to determination required
Negative suspensive condition requiring archaeological excavation
Watching brief condition
Standings buildings survey condition
Other condition e.g. archaeological mitigation strategy required
No issue, no action possible or necessary, including no issue after further work

1
1
2
1
1
13

Altogether 6 of the identified planning applications required some form of response to
mitigate the effects of the proposals on archaeological remains.
14.5

A watching brief took place during the removal of topsoil from a parcel of land at
Donich Park, Lochgoilhead. Work was originally requested on this site because it fellwithin an area known as Tom na Croiche, or Gallows Knowe. The place-namesuggested the former presence of an execution site, potentially of Medieval date,
which would in turn raise the possibility of burials being present. However, the initialclearance identified a single pit, rich in charcoal, from which three flakes of pitchstone
and a small fragment of pottery was recorded, together with a discontinuous layer ofcharcoal that was present over much of the site. Further monitoring of topsoil removal
revealed a further seven pits. These were fully excavated, with some found to containflakes of pitchstone and while others produced sherds of prehistoric pottery. One
probable cobble cist, perhaps dating to the Bronze Age, was also excavated, while a
spread of charcoal, interpreted as an in situ campfire, was also found. Numerous
microliths and flakes of flint were recovered from the area surrounding this campfire.

14.6

Following the announcement of the planned retirement of the Stirling Council
Archaeologist at the end of March 2011, the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National
Park Authority asked the Archaeology Service to extend the geographical scope of ourservice to them to include the area of the park within the Stirling Council area fromThe Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

26

April 2011. Preparatory work to collect and integrate data from the Stirling Council
Sites and Monuments Record into our existing Sites and Monuments Record wasundertaken for the National Park Authority in March 2011 in readiness for thisextension in geographical remit.

14.7

Other Advice within the National Park Authority’s Area
During the report period advice was provided to a variety of clients, including
National Park Authority staff, in respect of 13 other items of casework including 1
pre-application enquiry and 5 enquiries from statutory undertakers.

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

27

15

Information and Advice to Developers/Agents and to Statutory Undertakers

15.1

There were 110 requests for information and advice from developers or their agents,
including 31 requests for Sites and Monuments Record digital extracts. There were 38
requests for assistance in connection with Scottish Water, Scottish Water Solutions,
ScottishPower, Scottish and Southern Electricity, and Transerve proposals, a return toprevious levels after last year’s rapid downturn, when there 12 such requests. The
requests for assistance from developers and their agents raised income of £3,850, an
increase on the previous year’s sum of £2,760, but still short of levels attained prior to
the recession.

16

Agri-Environment Advice

16.1

The Service received a grant from Historic Scotland of £4,039 to enable it to provide
advice to the Scottish Rural Development Programme’s decision makers on request.
This is a substantial increase on the previous year's grant of £1,909. The grant is now
distributed proportionally across Scotland in accordance with the number of SRDP
applications for which archaeological advice is sought. The Service was consulted foradvice on 73 applications to the SRDP, itself a considerable increase in uptake whencompared to the 38 applications in the previous financial year, but despite this, there is
still concern that the system for providing archaeological advice to the SRDP is not
fully functional. It is still the case that requests for advice are not being made acrossthe whole of the Service’s area and only certain types of applications are being sent infor comment, mainly forestry proposals.

17

Management of the M74 Completion Archaeology Contracts

17.1

During the report period the Archaeology Service continued to provide managementof the Phase 2 archaeology contract which had been procured in advance of theconstruction of the completion link between the M74 and the M8, working to the
Appointed Agent for the road procurement – Glasgow City Council Land andEnvironment Services department. The archaeology contract was moving towards theconclusion of the post-excavation phase which is expected to continue into a final
reporting stage in 2011. During the report period an income of £16,313 was received
by the Service in respect of its work for the M74 Completion project. The
Archaeology Service will continue to provide advice and guidance into the nextreporting period, and will be paid for its monitoring role in respect of the archaeology
contract management until the project is complete, but the level of income from thissource is expected to be slight.

The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

28

Appendix 1
Annual Performance Statistics 2010-11 (figures for previous year in brackets forcomparison)
Weekly lists
The performance standard in the WoSAS Service Level Agreement for this area of work is
90% to be monitored and actioned within 14 calendar days of receipt.
Performance

97.2%(95.3%)

Planning and Listed Building Consultations
The performance standard in the WoSAS Service Level Agreement for this area of work is
80% to be actioned within 21 calendar days of receipt.
Planning Applications
Argyll & Bute
East Ayrshire
East Renfrewshire
Glasgow City
Inverclyde
North Ayrshire
Renfrewshire
South Ayrshire
South Lanarkshire
West Dunbartonshire
West LothianLoch Lomond & Trossachs

93.8%
85.0%
93.3%
82.4%
100.0%
88.1%
78.3%
83.3%
84.2%
96.4%
88.9%
95.0%

(96.2%)(89.4%)(92.3%)(85.0%)(87.5%)(93.6%)(84.1%)(85.7%)(95.1%)(90.9%)(87.9%)(92.9%)Overall Planning Application Performance

89.6%(92.14%)

Other Work Areas
The performance standard for this area of work is 80% to be actioned within 21 calendar daysof receipt.
SRDP Advice
Pre-Application Enquiries
Permitted Dev/Statutory Undertakings
Other Archaeological Consultations
General/SMR Enquiries

54.2%
77.6%
91.9%
93.8%
57.14%(76.3%)(76.1%)(78.3%)(70.0%)(80.0%)Overall Other Work Performance

74.93%(75.54%)The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde,
North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian.

29

Appendix 2
WEST OF SCOTLAND ARCHAEOLOGY SERVICEINCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNTFOR THE YEAR TO 31 MARCH 20112009/10£2010/11£
Income171,855
44,193
1,048

Contribution from participating authorities
Fees & Charges
Interest on balances

171,855
39,104857

217, 096

Total Income

211, 816

Expenditure
Employee Costs

190,206

Salaries, NI & Superannuation & Employee
Related Costs

189,019

Administration Costs
311
6,936
10,400
319
6,699
488
464

Fees & Subscriptions
Travel & Subsistence
Rents
Printing & Stationery
Equipment Purchase & maintenance
Catering
Postage
Purchase of services (miscellaneous)
Audit Fee

205
6,203
10,600
206
6,704
57
49
169
2,050
26,243217,923

Total Expenditure

215,262(827)
154,161

Surplus/(Deficit) for Year
Surplus Brought Forward(3,446)
153,334

153,334

Accumulated Surplus

149,888

2,100
27,717The Archaeology Service of the Councils of Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, North
Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire.

30