Moray HER - NJ05NW0030 - GRESHOP FARM

Print site NJ05NW0030 Feedback on site NJ05NW0030

Main Details

Primary ReferenceNJ05NW0030
NameGRESHOP FARM
NRHE Card No.NJ05NW35
NRHE Numlink 15813
HES SM No. 4020
HES LB No. NULL
Site Form Crop Mark (Includes Soil Mark)
Site Condition AP visible Only
Details Cropmarks of a settlement. The cropmarks suggest circular huts, ring ditch houses and two other smaller ring ditches concentrated in the south and southwest of the site with an isolated circular double ditched feature lying to the east (at NJ 0221 5840). There is also a broad penannular trace, and other curvilinear and linear features, some possibly souterrains. There is also one large square barrow with at least six other smaller square barrows, some only partial remains, concentrated in the north part of the site (at NJ 0213 5841), relating to a Pictish barrow cemetery site. Three three sides of a further square feature are visible some distance to the east (at NJ 0221 5845). A programme of investigation was carried out by AOC archaeology in 2010 in association with the proposed Flood Alleviation Scheme. The scheme is focused on the River Findhorn flood plain west of Forres, covering approximately 4 kilometres along the River Findhorn. The work includes Flood embankments at locations on both sides of the River Findhorn and infrastructure changes to the A96 trunk road to allow the river to utilise more of its natural floodplain. Phase 1 evaluation was undertaken in April 2012. No archaeological material or features lay within the road corridor excavated within the scheduled ground that would be impacted by development. To the east of the scheduled area, where a number of cropmark sites had been recorded, the northern part of West Forres embankment and the temporary A96 road was subject to a 100 percent archaeological topsoil strip.Topsoil removal revealed the remains of three square barrows, two circa 7m square with a central pit, the third comprising a double set of ditches, the inner circa 10m square, the outer almost 30 m square. Other areas of cropmarks within the stripped area revealed archaeological features. The southern part of West Forres embankment was subject to a 10 percent (1250 m2) sample evaluation. A total of 14 trenches were excavated with no features of archaeological significance recorded. The Greshop Farm barrow site is one of only a handful of barrow cemeteries to have been excavated in Scotland. The large barrow is an extremely rare, possibly unique, variation of the typical square barrow. A watching brief was carried out by HAS in October and November 2012 during topsoil stripping in the eastern part of the site for flood alleviation works. Six possible archaeological features were recorded, including a large pit although this was possibly modern.
Last Update27/01/2023
Updated Bycpalmer
CompilerIAGS
Date of Compilation23/11/2009

Google Map for NJ05NW0030

National Grid Reference: NJ 0216 5826



Event Details

Event DateEvent TypeOASIS ID
2012 Evaluation
2012 Watching-Brief

Excavations and Surveys


Artefact and Ecofact

Ecofact

Samples
Palynology
Ecofact Notes

Monument Types

Monument Type 1Monument Type 2Monument Type 3OrderProbability
SOUTERRAINS POSSIBLEF100
CROPMARKSLINEARAP VISIBLEG100
BARROWSSQUARE H100
PITS  J100
BURIALS  K100
CEMETERIES  L100
BARROWSSQUAREDOUBLE-DITCHEDI100
RING-DITCHES AP VISIBLEA100
CROPMARKS PENANNULARB100
SETTLEMENTS UNENCLOSEDC100
CROPMARKSCURVILINEARAP VISIBLED100
BARROWSSQUAREAP VISIBLEE100