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A watching brief was carried out by Cameron Archaeology during ground-breaking works for new drainage and paths between the 14th and 30th March 2022 and 13th and 15th November 2023. Phase one of the watching brief involved the excavation of Test Pits 1-3 and Trenches 1–12, while Phase two involved the excavation of Trenches 13 and 14. In Trench 1 a stone-lined culvert aligned north-south was located on open ground south-southeast of St Vigean's Parish Hall. Fragments of disarticulated bone were recovered from Test Pits 2 and 3 and Trenches 5, 13 and 14 cut within St Vigean's graveyard (NO64SW0134). This is not unexpected given the prolonged usage of the site and the number of phases of alteration to the structure of the church which changed the footprint of the building and resulted in disturbance of burials. All bone was reinterred within the trenches. Fragments of worked masonry (Trench 5) including a fragment of a red sandstone stoop (Trench 14) were also recovered from trenches within the graveyard. A clay pipe moulded to resemble a twig was recovered in Trench 3 and a clay pipe partial bowl with fish mark, complete clay pipe bowl and two stem fragments were recovered from Trench 5. There were 19th century pottery sherds recovered from Trenches 3 and 5. In Trench 6 a silt-filled feature was located alongside the Brothock Burn. This initially appeared to be a man-made ditch, but further excavation revealed that it is the remains of a natural water channel. The ground around St Vigean's Parish Hall and the Church Session House had been heavily disturbed by previous drainage works and rubble had been used to level areas around the buildings. A Post-Excavation Research Design (PERD) will further investigate the stoop's style and possible date.
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