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A watching brief was carried out by Cameron Archaeology between January and April 2022 during groundworks for drainage and pathway works. A metal detector survey carried out over the castle grounds ahead of the works recorded musket balls, a number of coins of 16th to20th century date, a dagger pommel, belt mount and possible strap end. The watching brief recorded details of the castle's construction and alterations but much of the areas uncovered had been previously disturbed. Trench 3 running alongside the northeast wall of the castle uncovered two areas of pitch floor, thought to date from a period in the 19th century when the area north of the castle was enclosed and used as a kitchen. This trench also extended west through the curtain wall, showing that the wall was here of different construction to the east, namely by its use of more organised small spacing stones. To the northwest of the northwest curtain wall, Trench 5 uncovered several apparent pit features, some of which were tree boles, some containing 19th and 20th century sherds, but none thought to be of archaeological significance. Further northwest Trench 6 uncovered a shallow sided ditch, the fill containing 19th century and later pottery, clear glass, green botte fragments and animal bone. Beneath this was a second ditch on the same alignment, a 19th or 20th century plant pot at the base suggesting a 19th century or later date. A series of short trenches (Trench 7) dug to expose existing ceramic drains around the outbuildings north of the castle wall, exposed part of a stone foundation in Trench 7a but no other features. Fragments of a three-legged iron cauldron with handle and a single fragment of flat bases iron cooking pot were recovered from Trench 7h. Trench 8 on the north side of the outbuildings uncovered a 14.5 m length of rough stone paving, comprising a single layer of stone set directly on soil. Trench 9 yielded only a few sherds of pottery and glass. The watching brief also found a selection of clay pipes, including examples by Swinyard and Elrick. Standing building survey was also undertaken - see NO19SE0002.
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Historic Environment Records (HER)