big cousland dig 2008
TRANSCRIPT
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With archaeological and historical advice and support from
Connolly Heritage Consultancy
Edinburgh Archaeological Field Society
Scottish Detector Club
AOC Archaeology Ltd
CFA Archaeology
George Haggarty
Louise Yeoman
East and Midlothian Young Archaeologist Clubs
Iain Fraser
Bi Cousland Di
2007/2008
The Cousland Local Histor Pro ect
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Big Cousland Dig - Community Archaeology Project
Table of Contents
1.0 SUMMARY 4
2.0 INTRODUCTION 5
3.0 OBJECTIVES 7
.0 METHODOLOGY 8
5.0 RESULTS 13
5.1 CASTLE FIELD Area 1 13
5.1.1 Geophysics (Edinburgh Archaeological Field Society) 13
5.1.2 Metal Detecting (Scottish Detector Club) (Appendix 4) 11
5.1.3 Excavation (Figure 3) 19
5.1.4 Historic Building Record 22
5.1.5 Historical Research (Cousland Historical Society and Louise Yeoman) 26
5.3 POTTERY FIELD Area 2 38
5.3.1 Geophysics (Edinburgh Archaeological Field Society) (Figure 4) 38
5.3.2 Field Walking (Figure 4) 39
5.3.3 Excavation (Figure 4) 40
5.3.4 Ceramic Report George Haggerty 415.4 WINDMILL PLANTATION Area 3 43
5.4.1 Clearance 43
5.4.2 Excavation (Figure 9) 46
5.4.3 Historic Building Record 46
5.4.4 Historic Analysis (Iain Fraser RCAHMS) 47
6.0 CONCLUSIONS 49
LLUSTRATIONS
igure 1: Location plan 3igure 2: Site Investigation p an 6
igure 3: Area1 location of geophysics, detecting, trenches and elevations 10
igure 4: Area 2 location of fieldwalking grid, geophysics and distribution plot 11
igure 5: Area 3 location of trenches, elevations and area of clearance 12
igure 6: Southwest Elevation in Castle Field 23
igure 7: Castle Elevation 24
igure 8: 1750 Roy Map and 1st Edition OCS map (1854) 44
igure 9: Plans, elevations and details of windmill 45
ppendix 1: Trench List & Context Listppendix 2: hotograph List
ppendix 3: Artefact List
ppendix 4: Metal Detecting Artefact List
ppendix 5: Ceramic List
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100 km 10 km
Figure No. 1: Site Location Map
Reproducion of Ordnance Surveymap details with the permission of theController of HMSO Crown CopyrightOS Licence AL 52480A0001
Big Cousland Dig - Community Archaeology Project
Glasgow Edinburgh
Aberdeen
Inverness
North Sea
1km
Area 1
Area 2
Area 3
Areas of investigation
1. Castle and Walled garden
2. Pottery Brae3. Windmill Hill
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1.0 SUMMARY
community archaeology project was carried out at the
illage of Cousland in Midlothian. The sites that formed
the investigations were located in a field to the west of
Cousland, the environs of the castle and walled garden inthe centre of the village and the windmill to the southwest.
The work consisted of field walking and geophysical
survey with the intention of locating the actual pottery
site, geophysics to locate structures in the environs of the
castle and walled garden and a metal detecting survey to
inpoint any metal objects in both the walled garden and
the field directly to the south of the castle. Excavations were
carried out to test the geophysics results in the pottery
eld, to locate the missing wall of the castle, the layout
and walls of the residential structure adjacent to the castle,to locate the greenhouse and to investigate geophysics
esults inside the walled garden. Research was also carried
out to place all the known structures into their historical
context. The ruined windmill was cleared of vegetation
and a test trench was put in to investigate the potential for
subsurface structures. These works were commissioned
y Cousland Local History Project and funded entirely by
The Heritage Lottery Fund. The work was undertaken in October 2007, April 2008
and July 2008. The pottery field was restricted to one test trench due to time
estrictions and excavation was limited to 2m away from the walls of the castle
and walled garden due to their scheduled ancient monuments(SAM) status
and safety considerations. The field to the north of the castle was restricted to
geophysical and metal detecting surveys as limitation on time restricted any
other work being carried out.
The work will enable the interpretation of the known standing structures of
Cousland and develop a research strategy for the newly discovered sites. This
roject will also form the basis for a future educational/artistic and interpretation
roject.
urther work required includes continued excavation as well as documentarystudy and ceramic research of the pottery site. A strategy needs to be developed
or further investigations of the residence adjacent to the castle and the castle itself
equires more detailed architectural recording. Excavations will also be required
to investigate the geophysics results in the south field and a conservation plan
eeds to be drawn up for the future protection of the windmill.
Topsoil removed in
Trench 2, within the
Castle.
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2.0 INTRODUCTION
.1 Site location
The sites are located in three distinct settings within and in the immediatevicinity of Cousland village. The village itself lies some 4km to the northeastof Dalkeith and 10km to the east of Edinburgh (Figure 1 .
Area 1- Castle field (NT377683) an area roughly 150m x 100m in size, in the
southwest corner of the village, containing the castle, walled garden and field
directly to the south.
Area 2- Pottery field (NT370677) the area of a field to the south west of the road
eading to Dalkeith, and comprising the upper flat area before the field slopes
down to the west.
Area 3- Windmill Plantation (NT377681) defined by a circular wooded area to the
south of the village.
gure 2 shows in greater details the areas and the scope of works carried out in
each location.
.2 Site History
arge amount of historical research carried out previously by the Cousland
ocal History Project, looked closely at the lime works and the blacksmiths
or smiddy. As a direct consequence of this research, the current project was
envisaged to try to piece together the evolution of Cousland to be carried out as
a community activity.
The village of Cousland has a long history documented as far back as 1160. It has
owever been diffi cult to place the village into a proper historical context, given
the paucity of records, maps and archaeological investigations.
There are several prehistoric enclosures located by RCAHMS in the surrounding
countryside attributed to the Iron Age and Cousland is also known from a
contemporary map of the battle of Carberry Hill.
ittle information exists for the 16th and 17th centuries save for reports of
supposed witches from Cousland being tried in 1630 at Dalkeith. Cousland limes also mentioned in the Edinburgh Burgh records of 1557 and appears to be
quite a considerable industry at that time.
Old maps of the area confirm the presence of several of the features investigated
n this project. General Roys map from the 1750s clearly shows the residence
n the castle field and the presence of the windmill (Figure 8), though at this
time there is no sign of the Pottery. The later first edition OS map of 1854 again
shows no pottery structures, fitting the lifespan of the industry to between 1750
and 1850. The windmill is also shown as disused by this time, and the residence
adjacent to the castle is no longer shown, suggesting demolition during the
ntervening time.
revious to this project there have only been two known archaeological
nvestigations in and around Cousland. Most recently by CFA, an archaeological
Crumbling corner ofthe castle, Cousland.
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338000E337000E
Contours at 5m intervals
Building or structure
Area of investigation
Wall
Figure No. 2: Site Investigations
668000N
Big Cousland Dig - Community Archaeology Project
Area 1
Area 2
Area 1
Area 2
Area 3
0 500 m
T1
T3
T2
T5T4
0
0
100 m
100 m
Metal detecting area
Areas of trenchinggeophysics and detecting
Areas of trenching, geophysicsand surface collection
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company, who carried out a survey in advance of the A68 bypass extension
around 2005/6. Although mention of a site was first made in 1852, the first known
scientific investigation took place in 1957, when evidence of a number of burials
as discovered when digging holes for a fence. One burial was fully excavated and
ound to be laid in a long cist. There were capstones about 1 below the surface, and
aving: the sides were of irregular stones, four on each side. The cist was 6 long by a
aximum of 19 wide internally, and was oriented ENE-WSW. There were certainly
t ree more cists at t e site, an pro a y a goo many more. T e 1852 Or nance
Survey Name Book also noted cists containing human remains immediately adjacent
to Windmill Plantation on the south side of the road. (Confusingly, the road in fact
uns north-south, so the location of the cists still remain uncertain.)
3.0 OBJECTIVES
I order to ascertain the location of an 18thcentury pottery, known to exist from historicalecords, field walking was planned to collect
surface pottery and associated items that was
ound to be present in large quantities within an
area of a field near to Cousland. The collected
nds were to be studied by a pottery specialist
to confirm a type and date period. At the
same time a geophysical survey (resistivity and
agnotometry) was to take place over the same
area to locate any kilns and associated buildings.
There was some evidence to suggest that a structure, most likely a glass house
existed near the west wall of the walled garden, and was deemed necessary to
test this theory with excavation. The castle structure which forms part of the eastside of the walled garden is in a ruinous state with a missing east wall. In order to
obtain a better understanding of the castle structure itself the missing wall would
eed to be located. The lodgings, adjacent to the castle with only its west wall
artially remaining required investigation to obtain a clearer picture of its extent
and layout. It was also felt that there may be other structures located within the
alled garden area. It was planned to carry out a geophysical survey to locate any
nknown structures and to try to locate the presence of the glass house, castle wall
and lodging walls. A metal detecting survey of the same area was also planned in
order to detect any metal finds. It was decided to open trenches around the area
of the glass house, the missing east wall of the castle and selected areas of theodgings. Trenches would also be opened if the geophysics results showed up any
anomalies within the site.
t was felt that there may be possible buildings or burials lying within the south field,
given the close proximity to the castle and the evidence of the 1957 report1 and the
id 19th century OS Name Book both reporting on cist findings. A geophysical
survey was to be carried out in this area in order to obtain some initial evidence to
ork from. A metal detecting survey was also to be carried out in this area to locate
any surface metal objects.
Setting out the grid
for Fieldwalking
Henshall, A S (1957 a) Northland Farm, Cousland, Discovery Excav Scot, 1957, 21
2 Ordnance Survey (Name Book) (1852) Object Name Books of the Ordnance Survey Book No.19, 46,
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The windmill site containing the ruins of a 17th/18th century windmill and
adjacent platform required to be carefully cleared of overgrown vegetation
around the ruined arch. It was also deemed important to ascertain with test
trenches whether there were any other structures associated with the site.
.0 METHODOLOGY
I the castle field (Area 1) it was decided to carry out a range of activities andnvestigations that would suit both the site and the range of people who wereto be involved in the project. Initially, a geophysical survey was carried out, inorder to target any likely areas for excavation. (Figure 3) This was then followed
y further work to extend the geophysics and also a series of five trenches to
nvestigate both anomalies and potential features. The decision was taken to
ocate the greenhouse in trench 1, the east wall of the castle in trench 2, and
to investigate a square feature found by geophysics in trench 3. Trench 4 was
ositioned to try to find the south wall of the residence and trench 5 to provide
an idea of the depth of deposits and perhaps the east wall of the same structure.
t the same time, a metal detecting survey was carried out across the whole
area, and two elevations of the castle and adjacent residence were drawn up by
two volunteers from the Big Cousland Dig team. The results it was hoped would
nform and evaluate for future work, and teach as wide a variety of techniques as
ossible, allowing all ages and abilities to be involved. Historian, Louise Yeoman
rovided valuable information gained from her historical research and held a
orkshop in the village hall to share the findings with interested parties. She
also provided details of how and where to research historical records.
The Area 2 pottery field was investigated in a similar multi disciplinary way, under
the supervision of the project archaeologist, the Edinburgh Archaeological Field
Society (EAFS) and ceramic specialist George Haggarty. A gridded area of 5etre squares was surveyed in, and all pottery, bricks and other artefacts were
collected, cleaned, logged and described. This was used in conjunction with a
geophysical magnetometre survey3 most suitable for finding kilns and other
eat affected structures, along with resistivity which was carried out by members
of the EAFS. (Figure 4) Finally as a result of a positive resitivity report a small
evaluation trench was opened to give an idea of the depth and preservation of
the structures shown.
Left to right:
Detecting, Geophysics,
Survey, Excavation.
Every kind of material has unique magnetic properties, even those that we do not think of as being
magnetic. Different materials below the ground can cause local disturbances in the Earths magnetic fieldhat are detectable with sensitive magnetometers. Magnetometers react very strongly to iron of course,
and brick, burned soil, and many types of rock are also magnetic, and archaeological features composed of
hese materials are very detectable. http://en.wikipedia.org
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The windmill within the plantation was investigated by both a brief buildings
ecord of the profile and vault elevation, as well as two small evaluation trenches
to provide data on depth of soil build up and the survival and preservation of the
structure. Prior to this, it was necessary to clear the covering of vegetation as well as
emove two small dangerous tree stumps, threatening to destabilise the windmill
aulting.
ll these investigations were designed to provide a body of information to inform
uture decisions regarding continued research and excavation. It was also hoped to
answer the initial questions concerning the shaping of the village of Cousland over
the past thousand years.
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337900E
668200N
Location of Area 1
Wall
Trench Resistivity plotwith features
ElevationExpectedwalls
Figure No.3: Area 1 : Castle field, showing trenches andresistivity plots
Big Cousland Dig - Community Archaeology Project
Area 1: Castle field
Area 1rea 1
Area 2rea 2
Area 3rea 3
T1
T3 T5
0 100 m
T2
T4
WalledG
arden
Castle
Feature
Greenhouse
Residence
Cousland
Plan on left shows the areas subjected to Resistivity surveyand the location of trenches 1 - 5.
The suspected wall lines are shown in orange, based onboth geophysical anomalies and structural featuresrecognised in the upstanding walls.
Metal detecting took place in the area that was covered bygeophysics.
Two elevations were recorded and are marked in red.
Possible features are outlined in yellow.Southfield
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667700N
667700N
337300E
337300E
Location of Area 2
Trench
surfacecollection grid
Resistivity plot
Magnetometer plot
Figure No.4: Area 2 : Pottery Field
Big Cousland Dig - Community Archaeology Project
Area 1rea 1
Area 2rea 2
Area 3rea 3
Cousland
Plan on left shows the areas subjected to resistivity andmagnetometer survey.
The clear magnetometer plot shows the location of 3circular features, which are interpreted as kilns.
A trench was excavated as shown to investigate survival ofsub surface features.
The Grid represents the area covered with gridded surfacecollection.
0
100 m
100 m0
Areas of trenching, magnetometerand surface collection
Areas of trenching, resistivityand surface collection
evaluation trench
evaluation trench
Area 2 : Pottery field
Area 2 : Pottery field
1
5
9
13
17
21
25
29
29
2
6
10
14
18
22
26
30
30
3
7
11
15
19
23
27
31
31
4
8
12
16
20
24
28
32
32
91
149
68
106
5
13
5
70
64
85
15
0
0
0
42
58
53
4
0
11
16
62
42
40
23
0
14
9
39
50
12
35
6
1
2
29
53
50
43
1
0
0
34
12
39
4
0
7
5
28
27
19
29
0
7
1
14
11
2
32
8
7
3
16
9
4
8
4
1
0
18
5
2
5
0
5
2
30
10
7
20
3
15
2
8
7
3
43
11
29
10
14
33
19
23
25
18
10
39
47
18
39
1
29
2
38
37
48
38
16
15
15
Whiteware (18th century)
Whiteware (19th century)
Redware (18th century)
Kiln material and Kiln Furniture
Anomalies visible on Magnetometer survey
Field walking results (statistical graph and sherd count)
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5.0 RESULTS
5.1 CASTLE FIELD Area 1
5.1.1 Geophysics (Edinburgh Archaeological Field Society)
Summary
area ground resistance survey, totalling 7,600 sq.m .. was conducted in
the field in which the remains of Cousland Castle or Tower House stands. A
urther 3,200 sq.m. were surveyed in the field that lies immediately to the south
of the castle field.
n t e area a jacent to t e cast e istorica ocuments s owe apparent anci ary
uildings and Cousland Nunnery was reputed to lie further to the south.
The field surrounding the castle appears to have been quarried for limestone
educing the field level by about 0.5m and thus destroying any foundations
that were close to the castle. The eastern entrance to the castle stands on solid
imestone bedrock some 0.5m.above present field level. It is presumed that
the topsoil was replaced over the main area of the field subsequent to the
quarrying.
igh resistance patches, to the east of the wall that runs southwards from the
castle, looked as though there could however be some remaining demolition
debris. Other areas of high and low resistance were amorphous in shape
suggesting that holes left from excavation, infilled with possible topsoil and
therefore low resistance, together with patches of high resistance where the
imestone had probably not been removed, indicated quarrying activity rather
than building.
The 2,000 sq.m. surveyed beside the south fence of the field and the 3,200 sq.m.
that were surveyed in the adjacent field to the south show rectangular and square
eatures that are very suggestive of building footings. These extend to the east
rom the 20 by 20 metre squares beside the road for at least 50 metres.
Work on the resistivity
survey within the
Castle Field and WalledGarden.
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curtailed by the garden fences of houses to the east; thirteen metre rows were
easured and seven entered as dummies. Four further squares were laid out,
ater in the day, on the south side of the wire fence; these are aligned with the
our most westerly squares on the south side of the fence. Due to the diffi culty
of making measurements close to the fence there is a 2.0m gap between the
squares measured in the morning and those in the afternoon.
The final survey was made on 5 April 2008 of four 20 by 20m. squares that
adjoined, on the south side, those that had been recorded on 29 March. As on
revious surveys the start was made in the southwest corner and proceeded zig-
ag across the four squares. All 20 by 20m.squares are shown in the site plan
(Figure 3)
The TRlCIA area ground resistance measuring equipment was used throughout
the survey. The equipment operates in the twin configuration in which two of
the probes are mounted on a portable frame 0.5m apart. They comprise one
current input and one potential measurement probe. The two remote probes,
again one for current input and one for potential measurement, complete the
two circuits; t ey are inserte a out 1.0 m apart an are positione so t at noeading is taken with the portable frame nearer than 15m to them. All readings
ere taken at 1.0 m intervals in lanes 1.0 m wide with the 400 measurements in
each 20 by 20m. square recorded walking zig-zag north and south up and down
the 20m. lanes. In surveying the larger area there was a requirement to move
the remote probes due to the limited length of the cable. A final reading was
taken with the probes in their initial position; the probes were then moved and
their distance apart adjusted to obtain, as near as possible, the same resistance
eading on the metre. A small resistance difference can be corrected during the
rint out process using the computer edge matching facility.
The unit on the frame generates the 137Hz signal current that flows through
the ground and the potential drop is detected by the measurement probes; the
computer in the unit converts this voltage reading in to a ground resistance value
n ohms. Within the unit is the display, that indicates this resistance, together
ith the data store into which the readings are dumped for later processing and
rinting. The data were down loaded, via the RS232 interface, to a computer and
rinter running the programme Snuffl er. The printout is in grey scale with the
lack and white limits chosen based upon the highest and lowest ohms readings
ecorded. It is normal practice to print high resistance (well drained areas and
edrock) as black and low resistance (infilled ditches and damp areas) as white.Computer processing of the data includes the facility to average between
adjacent metre squares and thence to half metre /squares, this gives a printout
that shows smoother gradation than would be the case if the pixel size had not
een reduced from the original 1.Om square., It is normal to use a final processed
sample size of 0.25m. The black to white ohms range is shown in the printouts as
s the processed sample size.
Example of a resistivity
plot - the darker areas
show positive features.
(North is to the right)
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esults
The large amorphous high and low resistance areas on both the east and westsides of the castle seem to confirm that the limestone bedrock, that originallyay close to the old land surface, has been removed in places, to a depth of about
0.5m. The eastern entry in to the castle, which now stands about this height
above field level on a solid limestone foundation, would appear to confirm this
supposition. The removed topsoil was probably spread back over the field and
nfilled the excavated areas. The infilling, due to holding more moisture, appears
as lower resistance in the printouts.
The British Geological Survey maps of the area, Ref. 8.1, support this interpretation.
The Solid geology is shown as comprising sections of both the North Greens and
Top Hosie Limestones that form part of the Carboniferous Group. On the Drift
geology map artificial deposits and worked ground together with bedrock at or
ear the surface or beneath artificial deposits are recorded.
The area between the west wall of the walled garden and the castle has been
evelled for about 65m.southwards from the north wall. At that point the groundises quite sharply and incorporates a linear high resistance that could represent
the south wall of the garden; this appears in the final 20 by 20m. square surveyed
on 20 February 2007. To the south of this change in level of the field the ground
slopes gently up to the southern fence with the field to the south of the fence
eing roughly level. Within the walled garden it is diffi cult to interpret any
significant anomalous features. Two vague high resistance lines run parallel to
the west wall and may relate to a series of socket holes on the wall suggesting
that a lean-to greenhouse may have existed. The only other small feature appears
ithin about l5m.of the west wall of the castle on a different alignment.
There is historical record of buildings in the field to the south-east of the castle
and features on the wall that runs to the south from the castle confirm that a
ange did exist in that direction. Two significant high resistance spots that lay to
the east of butting points on to this wall could represent demolition debris.
The five 20 by 20m. squares surveyed on the south side of the field show no
obvious features at the eastern end where they were curtailed by garden fencing;
the amorphous high resistance appears to be limestone bedrock. The two squares
on the west side are significantly lower in resistance and show possible linear
eatures that run north-south about 2 and 7 metres east of the road. A squarestructure, divided symmetrically into four, appears 20m. from the road and about
7m. south of the fence.
The eight 20 by 20m. squares surveyed in the field to the south of the fence show
a series of raised resistance lines, again mainly aligned approximately north
south, parallel with and starting adjacent to the road. These could be linked, in
the three most southerly squares adjacent to the road, by more pronounced
igh resistance lines aligned east west. The fmal square, in the extreme south
east corner of the survey, has a high resistance line that runs almost parallel to its
eastern edge with an apparent turn to the east at the northern end. It must be
assumed that this feature extends outside the surveyed area.
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Conclusion
The initial aim of attempting to detect ancillary buildings adjacent to thecastle was relatively unsuccessful apparently due to the removal of limestoneedrock and its replacement by worked ground. The remains of an old lime kiln
ithin the wood some 200m to the south suggest that this explanation is likely
to be correct. The area to the southeast of the castle, alongside the wall that runs
to t e sout , i in icate two ig resistance areas t at appeare to re ate to
uildings that had their west ends incorporated in this wall but most of the area
appears to have suffered from limestone extraction.
The area within the walled garden shows no significant features and must have
een excavated for limestone except at its southern end. The assumed south wall
of the garden does not extend clearly to the wall beside the road and appears to
stop some lam short of this wall in a square feature. The survey did not extend
to the east to ascertain whether a similar square feature was detectable at this
end.
The survey at the southern end of the field and in the next field to the south wassignificantly more successful in detecting rectangular shaded higher resistance
outlines that can be interpreted as man made structures. It was suggested that,
due to small fids, the nunnery buildings could have been located in this area and
the rectangular outlines are plausible foundations for these buildings. The main
igh resistance features run at right angles to the road which, at this point, is
aligned about ten degrees west of grid north. The small subdivided square, that
ies about 20m. east of the road and 8m north of the wire fence, is on this same
alignment. The less pronounced raised resistance lines that run from the main
igh resistance features possibly extend over 30m.to the north and may have
een detected on the edge of the field to the north.
The linear high resistance, that lies on the edge of the square in the extreme south
east corner of the survey, is aligned slightly differently. This wall runs almost due
orth and south with a right angled turn to the east at its northern end. This
could be construed as west wall of a building laid out more accurately on an east
est axis and therefore more likely to be of ecclesiastical origin or possibly in a
different building phase from those on the different alignment.
cknowledgements
The Society records its thanks to all who made this project possible and successful.
avid Connolly, who issued the first invitation for the Society to become involved in the
surveys in conjunction with the Cousland Local History Project.
avid was also instrumental in organising the grant aid from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
This covered ground resistance equipment expenses, travel, administration, part of
embers insurance on site and the preparation and printing of this report.
The data processing was carried out by Jan Hawkins who also supplied the ground
esistance printouts for the illustrations.
ourteen Society members contributed to the 35 member days during the five days of
survey; they are:athleen Allenach, Alan Calder, Graeme Collie, Charles Conner, Val Dean, Hugh
inwoodie, Jan Hawkins, David lones, Bill Mac1ennan, Don Matthews, Tom Sharp, Denis
Smith, Jill Strobridge and Brian Tait.
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5.1.2 Metal Detecting (Scottish Detector Club) (Appendix 4)
Members of the Scottish Detecting Club, kindly offered to help the Big Cousland
ig, by expertly sweeping the area for any metallic finds, both in the fields, and also
n the trenches, to alert us to any missed items. Indeed it could be said that some
of the best artefacts came from their survey. No discernable
attern was picked up, and no significant concentrations were
observed. However, the items that were recovered do in someay represent the later history of Cousland. From the 16th
century came the buckle of a shoe (Find MD 008), from a person
ho would have known Cousland at the time of Mary Queen of
Scots and the Battle of Carberry4 and when both the Castle
and Residence were standing. The restoration of the monarchy
can be seen from two 1670s Charles II turners, (Find MD013
an MD 050) and then the disastrous end of the Stewart Kings
ith James IIs infamous Gun Money , how did this coin end
p here? A 1797 George III Cartwheel penny6 (MD 075) brings
s into the industrial age, when the pottery, windmill, smiddy
and walled garden would all have been built only 5 to 25 yearsearlier. A link to World War II can be found in a fragment of a
Mills Grenade (Find MD 001) which may have
een used during a live ammunition exercise in
the quarry to the south.
Find MD 50
Scotish Turner
with cleaned
example below.
Find MD 52 James
VI Gun money with
cleaned example
below.Above left: late 16th century buckleAbove right: 1940s army issue webbing buckle.
On a hot sunny day on Carberry Hill in June 1567, Queen Mary spent her last few hours of freedom. It is
suggested she was taken first to Cousland Castle the Ruthvens Residence before she began her captivity,
rst in Scotland and then in England, which was only to end 20 years later in her execution.
5 Gun money was an issue of coins made by the forces of James II during the Irish Civil War between 1689and 1691. Minted in base metal, these were designed to be redeemed for silver coins following a victory by
James II and consequently bore the date in months to allow a gradual replacement. As James lost the war,
hat replacement never took place, although the coins were allowed to circulate at much reduced values
before the copper coinage was resumed.They were mostly withdrawn from circulation in the early 18th
century.
The first copper coins that Boulton minted for the British Government are know as cartwheels, because of
heir large size and raised rims. 500 tons of these penny and also twopenny pieceswere minted in 1797
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rench 3
Trench three was sited to investigate a square anomaly located by geophysics
ithin the walled garden. The square 5 metre trench was extended to the north
y a further 2 metre extension, but it soon became apparent that it contained
the same deposits uncovered in trench 1. A topsoil horizon sat over a mixed
ayer before coming down onto a heavier clay rich soil at around 0.30 0.40 m
depth. No sign of the feature was found, and no clue to what may have caused
the anomaly was established.
rench 4
Trench four turned into one of the most interesting and promising investigations,
roviding most of the finds, and several key pieces of evidence. One of the last
trenches to be opened, all people who worked on it, of all ages, enjoyed exploring
the evidence that came from the surviving layers. A layer of stones running east
est [4006] soon became recognisable as the backfill of a robbed out wall some
0.90m wide. Although heavily truncated, it was clear that the entire building,
Above: Trench 3 under
excavation.
Below: Trench 4
directing the work.
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dubbed the Residence had been demolished completely, with
only the west wall remaining as a clue to its existence (though it can
e seen on General Roys map of the 1750s Figure 8). Deposits
excavated to the south (exterior) and north (interior) were clearly
different, and from the interior deposits [4004] came several ceramic
tems dating to the late 17th and 18th centuries, confirming use and
terminus post quem for the structure it clearly did not survive into
t e 19t century. Severa ones were recovere , an uring t e
ashing of the finds, it was ascertained that one, a right calcaneus
Tarsus7 was human. This must represent disturbed burials from an
earlier date, and raises once again the possibility of either a chapel
and graveyard nearby, or that the soil used to level the area for
agricultural use was brought from nearby, and we have previously
ecorded that human remains were found only 100metres away
ear the windmill plantation. Because the residence was obviously
standing when the walled garden was built, it would have escaped
the quarrying found in trench 2, and although the deposits were
truncated by later agriculture, it is obvious that in situ deposits still
survive ere.
rench 5
Trench five was excavated, only to a depth of
0.30m, however, it too came down to the top of a
obbed out wall, with rubble fill within a presumed
oundation cut. It was decided that given the
time, it was reasonable to record the presence ofarchaeological deposits surviving beneath 0.30m
elow ground surface. Again, it seemed there
ad been a deliberate and total demolition of the
esidence, and further examination if possible would
rovide further archaeological evidence concerning
this building.
Above: Trench 4
exposing the robbed
wall, with volunteers of
all ages.
Left: The human
calcaneus, and location
within the foot.
Below: Recording the
final levels of Trench 5 .
7 large bone in the human foot above the heel.
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5.1.4 Historic Building Record
Two Elevations were picked to best represent the
architectural and chronological phasing of the
alled garden / castle site. The first long elevation
Figure 6) was created along the south north wall
eading to the castle, and continued through the
castle as a cross section. The second was a sectionof castle wall in the southwest corner (Figure 7)
that showed the relationship between the earlier
indows and the courtyard wall that was built
against the castle to the south. All the drawing
as carried out by the project volunteers, and
hotographic images were used to enhance the
ase rawings, t at were pro uce at 1:50. From
these records it was possible to produce accurate
stone by stone CAD elevations. The three main
hases of construction were as follows.
hase 1. The castle, consists of thick rubble filledalls of local limestones with sandstone quoins.
nternal features include aumbries and within
the thicker north wall, there is evidence for the
existence of a large fireplace with a water spout to
the side, leading from an external source (probably
rom the roof). The surrounds of the doors and
indows are all of high quality grey quartzite
ich sandstone, with thick chamfered mouldings
on the jambs. The walls are built directly onto a bedrock outcrop. The vaultedchamber is unusual, as it seems to be a first floor feature, and corbels that run
along the south internal face of the wall, as well as joist holes, indicate that the
surviving remains are two stories of a possible four story structure. The style of
castle appears to be of a late 15th century design.
hase 2. The residence and courtyard wall are constructed of sandstone andough angular local stone, and the thickness of walling does not exceed 0.60m.
To the south of the wall there is ample evidence of a mid/late 16th century
structure thought to be a residence. Tusking stones show the northern boundary
of the main building, with the gap between this structure and the castle, beinglled with a skin wall that effectively forces the blocking of the two windows in
the castle south wall. Two blocked windows with chamfered jambs and angled
ngoes, that would have let light in through the small window openings, suggest
that although there would not have been a requirement any longer for defensive
castled structures, the building is still semi-defensible. There are two aumbries
or cupboards set in the wall, and between these features is a door jamb which
s ows t e ui ing was two rooms eep. Given t e stan ar constructiona
easurements of similar buildings of the period it would measure approximately
10 metres wide by 30 metres long (or more appropriately in feet and inches, as
this was how it was built- c. 30ft wide and 90 ft long). A central stair would have
een flanked by rooms on either side, with apartments above. It is too early to
conjecture the precise layout, and we can only be sure it stood from a period of
approx. 1500 to a time between 1750 and 1800.
Careful recording of theResidence elevation.
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northwest southeast
Figure No. 6: soutwest external h elevation
Big Cousland Dig - Community Archaeology Project
0 5 m
Phase 1 CastlePhase2 Residence
Phase3(?) later entrance to walled garden
Phase3 Walled Garden
Window Tusking stones
cut bedrock
Window
Aumbry/Cupboard Aumbry/Cupboard
door jamb door jamb
floor surface interior of castle
Rear wall return
158.48MaOD
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southwest northeast
Figure No. 7: southwest external elevation of castle
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0 5 m
158.48
MaOD
Blocked window
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hase 3.This segment of the wall to the south, is a butt joint that is not tied intothe residence. This wall represents the massive walled garden, that is now securely
dated to a period when the Dalrymple family had taken over the estate around
1690 and began a series of improvements. It is of interest that the lower courses
of the massive north wall of the garden, is of the same material as the castle, and
t is suspected that the castle was robbed of stone, and then a quarry extended
eneath it, until all rock was exhausted, with only the walls incorporated into the
alled garden remaining. After the available local stone was used, the gardenas completed with material from another location, which is still to be found,
though it could be close to the pottery site to the west of the village.
Measured recording of
the Residence
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5.1.5 Historical Research (Louise Yeoman)
There is a wealth of historical documentation that has been collected from various
sources, but it is also clear that there is a vast untapped resource to be found both
n the Stair papers of the Dalrymples, and within the National Archives. It is most
nteresting that the archaeology has independently correlated with historical
events. These events themselves are fairly complex and will take more time to
recisely document, however, a timeline can be constructed, which includesootnotes for significant events that Cousland either witnessed or was directly or
ndirectly involved in.
imeline of Cousland
1180 - 1476 - St Clairs of Roslin
illiam St. Clair was the Fourth Baron of Roslin; Third Baron of Pentland; and the
irst Baron Cousland, inherited in 1180, died 1214.
There is mention of Cousland in a charter of William The Lion around the late
12th century, that may relate to the lands, being in some way connected with the
bbey of Dunfermline.
enri Fifth Baron of Roslin; Fourth Baron of Pentland; Second Baron Cousland
n erite 1214, ie 1222.
enri Sixth Baron of Roslin, Fifth Baron of Pentland, Third Baron Cousland
nherited 1222, died 1270
illiam Seventh Baron of Roslin; Sixth Baron of Pentland; Fourth Baron Couslandorn 1220; inherited 1270; died 1296
enry Eighth Baron of Roslin; Seventh Baron of Pentland; Fifth Baron Cousland
orn 1270, inherited 1296, built Roslin Castle 1304, died 1335
illiam Ninth Baron of Roslin; Eighth Baron of Pentland; Sixth Baron Cousland
orn 1328, inherited 1335, died 1358
enry Tenth Baron of Roslin; Ninth Baron of Pentland; Seventh Baron Cousland;
irst Earl of Orkney Born 1347, inherited 1358, died 1400
enry Eleventh Baron of Roslin; Tenth Baron of Pentland; Eighth Baron Cousland;
Second Earl of Orkney Born 1384, inherited 1400, died 1420
illiam the Chapel-builder; Twelfth Baron Roslin; Eleventh Baron Pentland; Ninth
aron Cousland; Third Earl of Orkney; First Earl of Caithness; First Baron Dysart,
irst Lor Sinc air Born 1404, in erite 1420, ui t Ros in C ape 1446, estates
roken up 1476, died 1480.
n 1483 Janet Yeoman, Williams widow tries to claim from the barony as her
terce (her widows life rent of a third of her husbands lands) against the new
ord Sinclair. This is tried in Parliament, she succeeds at first but they then find
against her.
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n the action and cause pursued by William Sinclair against the
ersons who passed on the serving of a brieve of terce purchased
y Janet [Yeoman], the spouse of the late William, earl of Caithness
and lord Sinclair, for the lands of Cousland, for their error and wrong
determination in the serving of the said brieve because they served
er for the terce of the whole barony of Cousland, as was alleged, and
thereupon showed a confirmation from our sovereign lord under the
great seal made to Sir Oliver Sinclair for feu-ferme of the said lands, and
an act of the lords of council of the same, both the said parties being
resent in person, and their reasons and allegations seen, heard andn erstoo at engt , t e or s au itors ecree an e iver t at t e
said persons have done wrong in serving the said brieve because they
ound that she should have a terce of the whole barony of Cousland,
the said Sir Oliver being saised of it by the said confirmation of feu-
erme before the death of the said late William, earl of Caithness, and
decide that the serving of the said terce is of no value in the future.
nd if the said Janet can prove by reservation or any other means that
she has a right to the terce of the said lands, that she pursue her right
here it is fitting and justice shall be administered.
n the action and cause pursued by William [Sinclair], lord Sinclair,
against Janet [Yeoman], the spouse of the late William [Sinclair],
earl of Caithness and lord Sinclair, and against Sir Oliver Sinclair,
that is to say against the said Janet for the wrongful collection
and withholding of the third of the lands of Cousland, Dysart,
avenscraig, Wilston, Carbar and Dubbo totalling the sum of 134
silver and 53 bolls of wheat and barley, and against the said Sir Oliver
or the wrongful withholding from the said William of the charters
and sasines of the said lands in contradiction to his bond and
obligation, and to deliver the same to him according to the form of
the said bond, the said parties being present in person, their rights,
easons and allegations seen, heard and understood at length, the
or s au itors ecree an e iver t at t e sai Janet oes no wrong
n collecting [from] her third of the lands of Cousland, because she
s lawfully served with it before the sheriff by our sovereign lords
rieves, and that therefore she shall use and enjoy the same forever
and until it is lawfully recovered from her. And as regarding her terceof the lands of the barony of Dysart, Ravenscraig, Wilstoun, Carbarr
and Dubbo, the lords decree and deliver that the said Janet shall
cease in the future from collecting the thirds from there forever and
ntil she is lawfully served with them by our sovereign lords brieves.
nd also that the said Sir Oliver is free of the claim and challenge by
the said William regarding the said charters and evidence, because
the said William admitted in the presence of the lords that with
oth their consents the said evidence was delivered to the elect of
Glasgow to be destroyed and was destroyed with their own consent
8 NAS, PA2/4, f.13r-v. [1483/6/42]
9 NAS, PA2/4, f.30r. 1483/10/72
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0 This conflict began when King James declared war on England, to honour the Auld Alliance with France
by diverting Henry VIIIs English troops from their campaign against the French king Louis XII. England was
involved in a larger conflict; defending Italy and the Pope from the French, (see Italian Wars), as a member
of the Catholic League. Using the pretext of revenge for the murder of Robert Kerr, a warden of the Scottish
East March, who had been killed by John The bastard Heron in 1508, James of Scotland invaded Englandith an army of about 30,000 men.
The battle actually took place near the village of Branxton, in the county of Northumberland, rather than
at Flodden hence the alternative name of Battle of Branxton. The Scots had previously been stationed
at Flodden Edge, to the south of Branxton. On September the 9th 1513, the battle was fought, and the
slaughter of the Scots was great, with James IV dying on the battlefield after leading a doomed charge, his
body was only discovered the following day, and only after some diffi culty, stripped, as it was, of his armourand mangled by several wounds. James was the last British monarch to be killed in battle. Every noble
amily in Scotland was supposed to have lost a member at Flodden. The dead are remembered by the song
(and pipe tune) The Flowers of the Forest;
ell hae nae mair lilting, at the yowe-milking,
omen and bairns are dowie and wae.
Sighing and moaning, on ilka green loaning,The flowers of the forest are all wede away.
1 NAS, PA2/6, 2nd part, f.36r. [1494/11/134]
2 RMS II/James IV/3358 (Great Seal) from the Database of Dedications to Saints in Medieval Scotlandhttp://webdb.ucs.ed.ac.uk/saints/
1494 - 1600 - The Ruthven Lords
n 1494 Cous an passes to t e Rut vens Wi iam 1st Lor Rut ven .1528 is
other was a Cranstoun of that ilk which explains a connection to the area. His
eldest son died at the Battle of Flodden in 1513 )10
n the presence of the lords auditors David Balfour of Cariston and Patrick
epburn, procurators for William [Sinclair], lord Sinclair, agreed to warrant WilliamRuthven], lord Ruthven and Isobel, his spouse, the lands of Cowsland, with their
ertinents, according to the form of the charter and infeftment made to them for
that, and agreed the same charter and infeftment in all points according to the
tenor of it, whereupon the said Isobel, lady Ruthven requested a note. 11
ote: T e cast e t at now stan s wit in Area 1, cou in ee ave een ui t
at this point, as the style does indicate a late 15th century origin, and would
correlate well with a new lord of the lands of Cousland.
nterestingly in 1509 there is mention of a dedication of a chapel at Cousland to
St. Catherine by William Lord Ruthven and his wife, Isobel Livingston.
Rex ad manum mortuam confirmauit cartam Willelmi Ruthvene de eodem
ilitis, domini feodi terrarum de Cowsland, et Willelmi dom. R. ac Isobelle
evingstoun eius sponse dominorum liberi tenementi earundem, qua in
uram elemosinam concesserunt uni capellano in capella S. Katerine infra
illam de Cowsland diuina imperpetuum celebraturo, annuum redditum
12 mercarum de terris uille de Cowsland, uic. Edinburgh
The King has confirmed in mortmain a charter of William Ruthven, of that
lk, knight, feudal lord of the lands of Cowsland, and William, lord Ruthven,
and Isabella Livingston, his wife, lords of the free holding of the lands of
Cowsland --- by which, they granted in pure alms, to one chaplain in the
chapel of St Catherine, within the town of Cowsland, who will celebrate
divine service, for ever, the yearly income of 12 marks from the lands of
the town of Cowsland, shire of Edinburgh.12
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illiam 2nd Lord Ruthven succ.1528 d.1552, grandson of the above, married
Jonet, eldest daughter and coheir of Patrick, Lord Haliburton of Dirleton. Although
e was a supporter of James V he refused to sit on the trial of Lady Glammis for
treason and was an early supporter of the vernacular Bible but was also loyal to
Mary of Guise. He was probably born ca.1500.
On the 25th February 1529 there is a reference to the Burning of Cousland by
atrick Charteris as part of a feud with Lord Ruthven (almost certainly stemming
rom burgh politics in Perth).
atrick Charteris of Cuthilgurdy, a near kinsman of the laird of Kinfauns, and
ho had been provost of Perth, from 1521 to 1523, both inclusive, and in 1525,
and again in 1527 provost and sheriff, found Robert Maule of Panmure as his
cautioner that he would underlie the law for art and part of the fire-raising and
urning of the village of Cowsland and houses therof, and for the plunder of
oxen, cattle and other goods, from the tenants thereof, and from William Lord
uthven; and on 28th of the same month, John Charteris, his brother, and eleven
others, found security to answer for the same crime. 13
Only 18 years later, Cousland would have witnessed the terrible Battle of Pinkie
n 1547. The Ruthvens do not seem to be involved at Pinkie as the now elderly
illiam, the second Lord is active in Perth and Patrick, his son, is pro-English at
this point and is even trying to surrender Perth to the English. Therefore the story
that the English burn the castle at Cousland would not make sense, given that, at
this time, the Ruthven are friendly with the English.
atrick 3rd Lord Ruthven born ca.1520, succ.1552 died 1566. is an early and
committed Protestant. And in 1553 there was a contract between him and Isobel
Mauchane concerning the Magdalen Chapel. The Magdalen chapel was a chapel/charitable institution in Edinburghs Cowgate - a pre-reformation foundation
ith a chaplain and seven bedesmen, for the benefit of Edinburghs hammermen
metal workers). It looks like Patrick gives them a permanent endowment but
ithout examining the original documents this has yet to be confimed, and
nterestingly Patrick seems keen on helping craftsmen.
The documents belonging to this mortification include some twenty-one
contracts, sasines, decreets, etc., and one of them, dated 4th May 1553, suffi ciently
explains the transaction.
Ruthven played a critical role in upholding the interests of Perths
craftsmen burgesses and in negotiating a compromise with the queen
regent, Mary of Guise, which protected at least some of the craft
privileges. His actions appear to have won him crucial support in theburgh, especially among the craftsmen burgesses, support which
persisted into 1559 and the conversion of Perth to the Reformation.
3 See Pitcairns Criminal Trials, vol.1, part 1 p.85
4 Dictionary of National Biography
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This is the tenor of the original contract, and it was predated by one day by a
enunciation by Lady Ruthven of her conjunct fee and life rent of the lands of
Cousland. The whole being finally confirmed under the Great Seal on 23rd May
1553. On the 29th April 1554 was given a precept of sasine by the said Issobelle
n favour of the bedemen, in which she mortified the sum of 50 Scots (4, 3s.
d. sterling) from the lauds of Cousland, followed by a contract between the said
ssobelle Mauchane and the Hammermen, dated 24th July 1555, for employing
the said sum to the bedesmens use
1553 - 58 there are several records of lime production in Cousland16
xtracts from the Accounts: Town Treasurer, 1553-4
eir followis the expensis maid be Robert Grahame, compter, the yeir of his offi ce,
on the bigging of the Schoir of Leyth, quhilk begane in the moneth of Aprile the
eir of God Jm vc liiij yeirs, particularie as efter followis:
The expensis of the first oulk, whilk wes the viij dayis precedand the vij day of the
said moneth of Aprile:
tem, for ane dozone [loads] Cousland lyme, xvi shillings
ccounts of Dean of Guild 1554
eirefter followis the Compt of Johne Symsoun, Dene of Gild, of his Charge in theeir of God Jm vc fifty foure yers; his entres beand the viij of October the yeir of
God Jm ve and liij yers precedand:
tem, bocht the xij day of October, foure laids (loads) of Cousland lyme,vs iiijd
5s 4d) ( This would make a load 1s 4d)
th March 1558 Edinburgh Council agreement with Lime men of
Cousland
indesay, Makdougall.
My lordis presidentis baillies and counsale forsaid ordanis maister James Lindesay
aillie, and Sir William MDougall maister of werk, to contract and aggre with the
yme men of Cousland for furnessing of lyme to the wallis of the toun, and thay
to be the price makaris thairof allanerlie.
Contract etwixt Patric , Lor Rut ven an Isso e e Mauc ane re ict
of Gilbert Lawder,burgess of Edinburgh, whereby the said Lord Ruthven
for the sum of 1000 Scots lent to him by the said Issobelle Mauchane
obliged himself to infeft her in the Barony of Cousland. 15
15 Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 2002 vol 061 pp.251-8
16 J. D. Marwick (editor) Extracts from the Records of the Burgh of Edinburgh: 1528-1557 (1871)
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566 Patrick, Lord Ruthven, Cousland and the Riccio Murder
On the evening of 9 March 1566 Ruthven made a dramatic appearance in the
queens chamber in Holyrood House while Mary was at supper with her friends.
sh-white from his illness, visibly wearing full armour under his nightgown, he
demanded, Let it please your majesty that yonder man David come forth of your
rivy chamber where he hath been overlong (Fraser, 252), before giving a barely
coherent recitation of the secretarys misdeeds. His accomplices then draggediccio out of the room and stabbed him to death, after which Ruthven returned
to the queens presence and asked for wine.
uthven remained on guard with his men at the palace for two days, assuring the
queens attendants and the burgesses of Edinburgh that no harm was intended
to t e queen. Furt ermore, e reassure t ose w o questione w at was
appening by telling them that he was acting at the insistance of Lord Darnley.
Mary soon escaped, however, and regained the upper hand, and Darnley equally
quickly denied any part in or knowledge of the affair. Consequently Ruthven and
is accomplices were forced to flee to England, after which they were tried in
absentia and subjected to forfeiture for treason and non-compearance. 17
Some of Ruthvens force guarding the palace came from Cousland and there are
ecords of at least two of his tenants being there.
pril 6th 1566 John Hunter in Cowsland and John Smith elder in Cowsland
among others from Dalkeith Musselburgh etc) found surety to underlie the Law
or the treasonable watching ,warding and imprisoning of our sovereign lady in
er Palace of Holyrood18
atrick Lord Ruthven flees to England where he writes his account of the Ricciourder and dies 16th May 1566. William his son was also involved in the murder
and also fled to England.
567 William , Lord Ruthven, Cousland and Carberry Hill
illiam 4th Lord Ruthven later 1st Earl of Gowrie. born ca.1543 succ. 1566. is
executed 4th May 1584 for his part in the Ruthven Raid kidnap of James VI
1567- Mary surrenders to the confederate lords at Carberry Hill. The army of the
ords halts at Cousland for about eight hours.
15 June 1567 the lords made great haste until they came to the Magdalen brig
at Musselburgh and there the two armies being in each others sight strove
continually from five o clock in the morning till noon against each other to have
the advantage and pre-eminence of the sun and there after the lords strove so
or the sun that they passed to Cousland, and the Queens grace and her army
emained on the height at Carberry where they stayed til eight hours at night
illiam 4th Lord Ruthven is one of the confederate lords, when Mary was
mprisoned in Loch Leven castle and he was also one of those entrusted with
securing her abdication
17 Dictionary of National Biography
18 Pitcairns Criminal Trials vol 1 part III pp.482-483
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alter Scott tells the story of Ruthven telling Mary to abdicate.
uthven is active at the battle of Langside against Mary and after in the post1570 civil war as a Kings man. As warden of the East march he is active in Lothian
n 1573. As treasurer he finds himself liable for overspending by the Duke of
ennox this will lead to him wadsetting Cousland to raise cash (using it as
security for loans)
n 1580 Cousland is used as security again and life rent to James Richardson of
Smeaton from 1585.19 This is registered in the Books of Council and session the
egister of Deeds at NAS.
James Richardson of Smeaton really and with effect disbursed and paid to the lateilliam [Ruthven], earl of Gowrie, lord Ruthven and Dirleton, the sum of 4,000
of his own proper money and bestowed by the said late earl upon his own affairs,
tending to his utility and profit; for security of the which sum of 4,000, the said
ate William, earl of Gowrie, bound and obliged him to infeft the said James in
iferent and Robert Richardson, his son lawful, his heirs and assignees, in fee and
eritage in all and whole an annualrent of 400 usual money of this realm yearly,
to be uplifted at two terms in the year, Whitsunday [May/June] and Martinmas
11 November] in winter, by equal portions, of all and whole the town and lands
of Cousland, with the parts, pendicles and pertinents thereof, lying within the
sheriffdom of Edinburgh, to be held of him and his heirs as in the contract madeetween them thereupon at Edinburgh on 24 May 1580, registered in the books
of council, at more length
adam, said Ruthven, I will deal plainly with you. Your reign, from the
dismal field of Pinkie- cleuch, when you were a babe in the cradle, till
now that ye stand a grown dame before us, hath been such a tragedy
of losses, disasters, civil dissensions and foreign wars, that the like is not
to be found in our chronicles. The French and English have, with one
consent, made Scotland the battle-field on which to fight out their own
ancient quarrel.
orourselves, every mans hand hath been against his brother, nor hath
a year passed over without rebellion and slaughter, exile of nobles,
and oppressing of the commons. We may endure it no longer; and,
therefore, as a prince, to whom God hath refused the gift of hearkening
to wise counsel, and on whose dealings and projects no blessing hath
ever escen e , we pray you to give way to ot er ru e an governance
of the land, that a remnant may yet be saved to this distracted.
alter Scott, The Abbot, p.72
19 NAS, PA2/13, ff.52v-53r.
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Teinds continue to go to Dunfermline the Abbey revenues now belong to Anne
of Denmark, The Queen, and this teind, or debt, indeed stretches back to the
edieval period and is only fully paid off by the Dalrymples in the mid 19th
century.
ithin an Act in favour of Sir Hugh Herries regarding an infeftment to be made
to him of the lands of Cousland and 20 chalders of victual out of Scone we find
the following line, which clearly states the tower and fotalice is still standing, and
obviously roofed. The full document can be found online. 7
Sir Hugh dies by 1602 and he is succeeded briefly by his brother David who was a
ships Captain and burgess of Dundee but he dies of the plague at Ratleiffe near
ondon in 1603. He is succeeded as baron of Cousland by his young son and heir
George. But unbelievably outliving everyone so far, Dorothea Stewart Countess
of Gowrie is still alive in 1605 and clinging onto Cousland, as it cannot pass on
ully until her death.
On 15th March 1620 George Herries is confirmed as heir to Sir Hugh and to thearony of Cousland, but he quickly sells the property to Sir George Hay, later Earl
of Kinnoull 8
.to the said Sir Hugh, his heirs and assignees in special security and
warrandice of the said town, lands and barony of Cousland, with the teinds
thereof and their pertinents principally conveyed as said is; and also that
the same infeftment shall contain an union and erection of the said town,
lands and barony of Cousland, with the tower, fortalice, manor place,
houses, buildings, yards, orchards, dovecots, mills, multures, tenants,
tenancies, service of free tenants thereof, advocation and donation of the
chaplainry thereof and all their pertinents in a whole and free barony, tobe called in all time coming the barony of Cousland,.
27 http://www.rps.ac.uk/search.php?action=fc&fn=jamesvi_trans&id=id6931&query=cousland&type=tra
ns&variants=Cousland#n228 Miscellanea Genealogica Et Heraldica: Fourth Series, edited by W. Bruce Bannerman, republished 2001
by Adamant Media Corporation pp.249-252)
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1620 - 1635 Hays of Kinfauns, Earls of Kinnoull
Sir George Hay was an influential and powerful man and also an early industrialist
ith patents for iron manufacture and glass manufacture, he was also the Lord
Chancellor of Scotland (1622)
hen Cousland was under his ownership they have a witch-hunt in the year
1630!
The accused witches were -
April 1st 1630 Elizabeth Selkirk commission to try her granted to Sir James
McGill of Cranstoun Riddel 9
April 21st 1630 Margaret A ane, Margzret Veitc e, Janet Patersoun prisoners in
the Tolbooth of Cowsland - commission to try them to Sir Samuel Johnestoun
of Elphinstoun. 0
May 26th Commission to Sir Samuel Johnestoun of Elphinstoun to apprehendand examine John Phenick tailor in Cousland, Marioun Bankes his spouse, Agnes
is daughter, Janet Richardson, Marion Anderson, Christian Steill, Giles Swintoun
this could be the female name Geillis ) long suspected of witchcraft. Theyve
een accused by others who have now been executed. The examination is to be
eported in writing to the Privy Council. 31
July 8th Commission to Sir Samuel Johnestoun of Elphinstoun to try John
henick whos been apprehended 2
e know they were held in the tollbooth in Cousland, which could have been thecastle, given that it is the only secure building in the settlement. The suggestion
s that the number of people involved represents a local dispute behind the
accusations
George Hay 1st Earl of Kinnoull dies in 1634 and is succeeded by George Hay
2nd Earl of Kinnoul d.1644, the Hays hold the lands until 12th September 1639
after which it passes to the Macgills
27 http://www.rps.ac.uk/search.php?action=fc&fn=jamesvi_trans&id=id6931&query=cousland&type=tra
ns&variants=Cousland#n2
28 Miscellanea Genealogica Et Heraldica: Fourth Series, edited by W. Bruce Bannerman, republished 2001by Adamant Media Corporation pp.249-252)
29 Register of the Privy Council 2nd series vol 3 p518
0 Register of the Privy Council 2nd series vol 3 p.534
1 Register of the Privy Council 2nd series vol 3 p.544
2 Register of the Privy Council 2nd series vol 3 p.602
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1635-1690 The Macgills of Cranstoun Riddell, later Viscounts
Oxfurd
The is an original charter to Sir James Makgil August 16th 1639 and when the
Gowries are restored (yet again) in the person of Patrick Gowrie, MacGill has
Cousland confirmed to him and a new charter is created in 8th September
1641, as an Act of parliament in his favour
James Macgill becomes Viscount Oxfurd 1651 but his patent of nobility is not
ead in parliament till 13th March 1661, of course at this time we have the small
atter of the Civil War, and in 1650, there is the great defeat of the Scots at
unbar.
e dies 5th May 1663 and is succeeded by his son Robert Makgill, 2nd Viscount
of Oxfuird d.1706
t is now in the 1690s that the Dalrymples of Oxenfoord & Stair take possesionof the lands of Cousland as is listed here
t may be no coincidence that the Dalrymples take the lands in the 1690s, the
same time as the collapse of Scotlands fortunes with the Darien Adventure
nd perhaps it is here that we can see the origins of a new life for Cousland,
ith the construction of a model village, blacksmith, windmill, pottery and
alled garden. It is here that we leave the history of Cousland, as with the
archaeology, more work is needed to piece together the fragments.
The groups have learned greatly from the studies conducted, and with access
to further documentary evidence, married to archaeology, the story to the
resent is possible.
Titles of estates other than Stair: Cousland writs. Disposition by John, Earl
of Lauderdale, to Sir James Dalrymple of Kinloch, one of the principal clerks
of session, of 100 merks yearly of teind duty payable furth of the lands and
barony of Cousland, this duty being part of the lordship of Mussillburgh,
now to be disjoined therefrom; with obligation by Lauderdale to deliver to
Dalrymple an inventory of progress of the lordship of Musselburgh since
1649, 26 November 1701. 34
3 NAS, PA2/22, f.341r-343r.4 In 1698 the Scots tried to set up a trading colony in Darien (now part of Panama) in an attempt to
evade the increasingly negative effects of the English Navigation laws on the Scottish economy. The
Darien Adventure failed with disastrous implications for the Scottish economy. Its failure became one ofthe contributory economic factors in the abolition of the independent Scottish Parliament and the Act of
Union in 1707.
nd it is hereby expressly provided and ordained that the foresaid rehabilitation
granted by our said sovereign lord to and in favour of the said Patrick Ruthven,ith the ratification above-written of the parliament interposed thereto, shall
be in no way hurtful nor prejudicial to George [Hay], earl of Kinnoull and Sir
James MacGill of Cranstoun-Riddel, knight, one of the senators of the college
of justice, of their rights and possession of the lands of Cousland and teinds
and whole pertinents thereof, and of a lodging and dwelling house in the
town of Perth, but that notwithstanding of the rehabilitation and ratification
and reduction of the act of parliament in the year 1600, the said Earl of Kinnoull
and Cranstoun-Riddel, their heirs and successors, shall hold and possess the
said lodging and dwelling house in Perth and the said lands of Cousland,
hole teinds and pertinents thereof, according to their rights, securities and
possession, which the said Patrick Ruthven, his heirs nor successors shall neverbe heard to quarrel nor impinge in any sort. 33
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5.2 Pottery Field Area 2
t was understood that a pottery works stood in or near Cousland, and an advert
n the Edinburgh Courier gave a clue to its size, if not its actual location. A road
to the west of Cousland is still known as Pottery Brae, and so it was decided to
concentrate an investigation in this area to confirm location, date and type of
ottery works that may have existed.
5.2.1 Geophysics (Edinburgh Archaeological Field Society)
F gure 4
The completed report for the geophysics in the pottery field is
still to be produced by the EAFS, however, using the initial results
rom the magnetometre it was possible to pinpoint sub surface
eatures. Six circular targets were identified in the survey area,
and the main concentration of these are tentatively identified as
ilns or perhaps pits for dumping wasters, kiln furniture and kiln
ricks. The magnetometre is sensitive to heat affected areas,
and so structures like kilns would be highly likely to appear ona survey. The resistivity survey has still to be completed to the
orthwest, this form of geophysics is best suited for walls and
certain features were recognised in the initial plot. This survey
as conducted simultaneously with the field walking, and both
ere able to feed into the evaluation trench.
Above: Magnetometer
Survey
Left: Magetometer Plot
Below: creating the site
grid for the geophysics
and fieldwalking
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5.2.2 Field Walking (Figure 4)
The area was divided into 5 metre squares, 4 deep, and parallel to the road. 28
squares were examined in total. All artefacts were collected, cleaned, examined
and plotted on a computer to view distributions and types of material recovered.
y the careful collection of everything in those squares, the plotted material
showed a real correlation with the geophysics results. Most interestingly, the
types and dates of the material began to show a possibility that we were dealing
ith an early industrial pottery, perhaps related to the period when Scottish
edwares were being replaced with the new type of pottery the Whiteware.
18th century whitewares, of the type found in the second half of the century,
continued into early 19th century forms, though not in the same abundance.
iln furniture, used to stack pottery in kilns, as well as the bricks used in the
construction of these structures, confirmed that this was not material brought
n, but was related to the geophysical annomolies that had been observed.
The potential existed that this was indeed the lost pottery, and we had located
the Cousland works, it was felt that excavation would confirm the survival and
resence of structures beneath the ploughsoil
Left: Collection of
artefacts in the grid
Below left: Finds ready
for processing
Below right: Working
together to ensure
everything is found
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5.2.3 Excavation (Figure 4)
xcavation was carried out on the following day after the locations of a suitable
eature was confirmed. A small trench 4 metres by 2 was opened over an
area where kiln material and bricks as well as geophysics suggested surviving
structures. Only 0.20m beneath the surface, a course of handmade bricks was
ncovered, and further investigation revealed they formed a wall, two bricks
ide, bonded with mortar. To the south was a clay surface, while to the north, the
all continued down for 3 courses, and a heat affected area was uncovered over
hat is thought to be a floor surface at a depth of c. 0.40m. The main purpose
of this exercise was to confirm the survival of structures, and possible function.
Stratified material was removed from the base level, a partial hemispherical lead
glazed redware bowl which was in situ, as all the sherds were conjoining, dated
to the 1760s which would suggest this was indeed an early East Coast Pottery,
and the remarkable survival was exciting, given its location in a ploughed field.
This is a site worth excavating further.
Below left: : Opening
the evaluation trench
Below right: Solid
evidence of the pottery;
a brick wall and floor.
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5.3 Windmill Plantation Area 3 (Figure 5)
The main purpose behind this investigation was to clear the area of damaging ivy
and a dead tree which was threatening the surviving fabric. Due to the vegetation,
t was diffi cult to understand the layout, form and size of the Windmill structure.
The intention was to understand the surviving remains, assess the condition, and
nvestigate the depth of deposits that may survive beneath the surface
5.3.1 Clearance
sing hand tools, the ivy was carefully removed from the walls, pruning back until
t was safe to expose the stonework. Nettles and other vegetation was cut back
to expose the platform and vault, and to allow clearance of loose tree limbs and
ubbish. A dead tree that was located on the southwest corner of the vaulting was
emove , to ease t e pressure on t e stonewor . T is was comp ete an a owe
urther investigation. It is worth mentioning that after clearance it was evident
that the windmill mound stood on a larger more rectangular prominence that
stretched to the north. This is definitely worth further investigation, to understand
ts purpose and date.
Before clearance
During clearance
After clearance
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Figure No. 8: General Roy circa 1750-521st Ed OS map: 1854
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Area 1
Area 2
Area 2
Area 3
Area 3
Area 1
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northeast
northwest facing internal elevation
southwest
Figure No. 9: Northwest facing internal elevation of Windmill vaultPlan of site and trenchesReconstruction of principal elevation.
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0 5 m
vaulting
rubble build behind vault
Arch springFront wall
platform?
0
0
10 m
5m
5m
evaluation trenchevaluation trench 2
evaluation trench 1
reconstructed cross-sectionnortheast facing
elevation
front wall locatedin excavation
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5.3.2 Excavation (Figure 9)
xcavation was limited to two exploratory trenches. A small 4 x 2 metre trench
as excavated on the top of the mound to confirm if the wall of the windmill
survived. Only just beneath the topsoil, around 0.05m below the surface, a
ayer of rubble was uncovered, on the line of the wall. No further excavation
as required, as this confirmed the presence of the structure. In the north east
corner of the collapsed vaulted chamber, a deep test pit was sunk to investigate
the depth of deposits and the potential makeup of a floor surface. It was found
that over 1.20m of deposit fills the vaulted chamber, and that the opening of the
ault, had a wall running across it, as with other similar East Lothian Windmills,
such as the Balgone windmill at North Berwick.
5.3.3 Historic Building Record (Figure 9)
basic record of a single elevation was carried out, and details of the size
and layout were also recorded. Local limestone and sandstone was used for
construction of a low vaulted chamber c. 7.50m in length and 4.70m wide. Anextrapolated height of c. 3.50m has been assumed, with the vault springing from
circa 1.50m above the ground surface. The vaulting is of rubble built slabs of
asonry with a rubble core behind, mixed with mortar. Either side of the vault is
uried with soil and held in check with two flanking walls.
The Windmill structure sits to the southwest of the vaulting, and measures
some c. 6m in diametre. It is diffi cult to suggest a height. This is a very typical
indmill structure of early/mid 18th century date and it is safe to assume that its
construction coincides with Dalrymple ownership of the land.
Far left: debris from the
collapsed wall of the
windmill
Left: Investigating the
vault infil.
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5.3.4 Historic Analysis (Iain Fraser RCAHMS)
The remains of a windmill survive in a small plantation on the W edge of the
summit (170m OD) of a ridge on the S edge of the village of Cousland.
The remains are set into the E side of an artificial mound: irregular in plan, the
oun is approximate y 20m roa E-W, an 35m N-S. On its S si e it rises to
about 1.0m; on the NW, down slope side, it rises to about 1.8m in height. Flat-
topped, it falls steeply on its W side.
Set into the E side of the mound are the remains of a vaulted structure, aligned
E-SW. The opposing N and S walls, of lime mortar-bonded rubble indicate
a vault of at least 8.0m in length, and 4.2m in breadth. The walls survive to a
aximum height of 1.8m. Much of the facing stonework has been lost, but what
survives preserves the springing of a semi-circular arch. There are no indications
of a return wall at the E end of the structure, and the W ends of the walls merge
nto the mound. No visible remains survive of the tower on the top of the mound.
However, the root plates of wind throwntrees reveal considerable quantities of
loose stone and lime mortar in the area
that it would have occupied.
This form of windmill, comprising a low
tower set upon a vaulted substructure,
is conventionally attributed to the late
17th or early 18th centuries. Some
indication of the date of construction
may be provided by Adairs 1682 mapof East Lothian, which depicts both the
Penston and Prestonpans windmills,
but not that of Cousland. On the other
hand, although he did mark the village
itself, as Cousland lay outwith the
boundary of the shire, Ainslie may not
have regarded the mills omission as
important. Its omission from the 1736
ublished version of the map is not significant, as this was based upon the
earlier manuscript. More significantly, however, Adairs 1683 map of Midlothiandoes not represent the mill, although if it had existed it would surely have been
a conspicuous element of the landscape. The site is widely visible today from
across the Midlothian coastal plain to the west, and distantly from the East
othian coast to the north-east. It is now an anonymous cluster of trees on the
illcrest to the south of the plantations of the Carberry estate, but prior to the
growth of the trees the windmill would have been a conspicuous landmark on
the Lothian skyline.
The building is first recorded on Roys map of c.1750, (Figure 8)which shows it
as a circular structure, within a circular enclosure, and annotated as Windmill.
hether this implies that it was still intact and in use is, however, not apparent. Its next shown on John Lawries map of 1763 as an unannotated circular building,
and again in that of 1766, this time as an unannotated rectangular building,
apparently standing in an area of pasture. Armstrongs 1773 Map of the Three
Vaulted tower mill ,
Balgone, East Lothian
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othians depicts the mill in a small perspective view, as a small tower set on a low
ill, annotated Old Wind Mill. Probably significantly, it is not portrayed as mounting
sails, and presumably was now derelict.
James Knoxs map of 1816 does not mark the building of the mill, although it does
show the outline of the present circular plantation, annotated Old Wind Mill. In
1828 Sharp, Greenwood and Fowlers map depict the plantation, and within it, a
Tower.
The earliest Ordnance Survey depiction, the 1:10560 scale map of 1854-6, shows
a circular structure, presumably intended to represent the tower, within the tree
grown enclosure, named Windmill Plantation. The annotation, Windmill remains
of confirms that the mill was, by now, ruinous. The 1:2500 map of 1894 clearly
depicts the