Document record MAB58749 - HARESHOWE, ADEN COUNTRY PARK

A programme of archaeological investigation led by Cameron Archaeology was carried out at the site of a possible stone circle, as suggested by local legend.

A programme of archaeological investigation led by Cameron Archaeology was carried out at the site of a possible stone circle, as suggested by local legend. Geophysical survey by Rose Geophysics in 2017, found no evidence for a ditch which might surround a stone circle, and only a number of possible pits which formed no coherent pattern indicating archaeological origin. Fieldwalking across the field in 2017 recovered a number of worked flints. Targeted excavation led by Cameron Archaeology was carried out in June 2017 focused on the anomalies recorded by the resistance survey. Trench 2 revealed the bases of three post-holes at the north end, the fill radiocarbon dated to the Late Bronze Age. Flints as well as medieval pottery and glass were recovered from the topsoil. No archaeological features were recorded in the other trenches although a number of flints and a sherds of prehistoric and medieval pottery (including redware) were recovered from the topsoil. Some of these may have been from material dredged from the Aden lake and dumped here several years previously. A total of 169 lithic artefacts were recovered in 2017, all but one of flint, and including flakes, blades, microblades, cores, end-scrapers, side scrapers, knives and a microburin. They suggest activity across the field in the middle to late Neolithic period. A likely early Bonze Age scraper and a radiocarbon date suggest a Bronze Age presence. Walkover survey was carried out in December 2017 and November 2018. A large stone was recorded on the west side of the field, but could not be confirmed as having come from a stone circle. Two other stones were recorded either side of the track from Twin Lodges but this is a stony area. Further excavation was carried out by Cameron Archaeology in November 2018 to further investigate the features. A trench 30m x 16m revealed at least 70 features, categorised into definite pits/postholes, tree-throw pits, burrows, agricultural features, furrows, earthfast boulders and non-features. These features defined a structure circa 27 m by 12-14 m, with rounded ends, which would appear to be an unroofed enclosure consisting of small and medium posts, possibly trees both living or dead/fallen, and also possibly earthfast boulders.. The topsoil was very shallow (0.2m - 0.25m) and as a result there was historical agricultural damage to the whole site, with all features disturbed to some extent by ploughing, animal burrowing and/or root damage. Five machine trenches 2m wide were excavated in the southeast of the site, but no archaeological features identified. In 2019 excavation extended the 2018 trench in each direction 8m southwest, 6m northwest and southeast, and 10m northeast. A trench 5.5m wide was excavated from the enclosure trench to the cup-marked stone (NJ94NE0174) and a trench excavated around the stone. A further 130 features were investigated including post-hole bases, tree throws, furrows, root and burrow holes, quarry pits and stone-holes. The use as a possible mortuary enclosure had been considered, but there is no evidence from within the structure, either structural or find related, as the interior had been so badly affected by medieval and later agricultural activities. The large earthfast cup-marked boulder (NJ94NE0174) at the west edge of the field, does not appear to be related to the excavated structure. Trenches around the base and chisel marks on the stone revealed that several 19th and 20th-century attempts had been made to remove it. Further 19th and 20th century disturbance was recorded, including two pit features which had been created with a toothed digger bucket, presumed to be caused by the removal of large stones, possibly from a stone circle. Three radiocarbon dates were obtained from the 2018/2019 excavations: a sample of oak charcoal dating to the Mesolithic period 7841-7605 BC, alder charcoal dating to the Neolithic period 3516-3367 BC, and birch charcoal dating to the Medieval period 1217-1273 AD. Excavation of the Neolithic enclosure was completed in 2021.

Period Notes
Radiocarbon date, context 2018 SUERC-74131 (GU44700) 3119+/- 30 BP, calibrated to 1449 BC - 1292 BC at 2 sigma (OxCal 4.3 run 20/07/2017). Radiocarbon dates from 2018/2019 excavations: Context 30, sample 17 SUERC-96637 (GU56868) 4657 +/- 23 BP, calibrated to 3516 BC - 3367 BC at 2 sigma (OxCal 4.4 run 22/02/2021), material - charcoal Alnus sp. (Alder). Context 217, sample 60 SUERC-96638 (GU56869) 8739 +/- 26 BP, calibrated to 7841 BC - 7605 BC at 2 sigma (OxCal 4.4 run 22/02/2021), material - charcoal Quercus sp. (Oak). Context 368, sample 98 SUERC-96639 (GU56870) 803 +/- 23 AD, calibrated to 1217 AD - 1273 AD at 2 sigma (OxCal 4.4 run 22/02/2021), material - charcoal Betula sp. (Birch).

CAMERON ARCHAEOLOGY, 2017, ADEN COUNTRY PARK, ABERDEENSHIRE: DATA STRUCTURE REPORT HLF 'SITE 3' (Bibliographic reference). SAB7084.

CAMERON ARCHAEOLOGY, 2017, ADEN COUNTRY PARK, ABERDEENSHIRE; PROJECT BRIEF HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND PROJECTS 2017, WSI (Bibliographic reference). SAB8211.

ROSE GEOPHYSICAL CONSULTANTS, 2017, GEOPHYSICAL SURVEY REPORT, ADEN PARK (Bibliographic reference). SAB3140.

CAMERON ARCHAEOLOGY, 2019, ADEN COUNTRY PARK, ABERDEENSHIRE: DATA STRUCTURE REPORT (5-15 NOVEMBER 2018 AND 24 JUNE-7 JULY 2019 EXCAVATIONS), DSR (Bibliographic reference). SAB8170.

CAMERON ARCHAEOLOGY, 2019, ADEN COUNTRY PARK, ABERDEENSHIRE: DATA STRUCTURE REPORT (5-15 NOVEMBER 2018 EXCAVATION), DSR (Bibliographic reference). SAB8216.

CAMERON ARCHAEOLOGY, 2019, ADEN COUNTRY PARK, ABERDEENSHIRE: 'STONE CIRCLE' SITE DATA STRUCTURE REPORT (Bibliographic reference). SAB8011.

HEADLAND ARCHAEOLOGY, 2019, CA420 ADEN COUNTRY PARK: FINDS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (Bibliographic reference). SAB5880.

CAMERON ARCHAEOLOGY, 2021, ADEN COUNTRY PARK, ABERDEENSHIRE: METHOD STATEMENT FOR EXCAVATION 16-18 AUGUST 2021, WSI (Bibliographic reference). SAB8218.

CAMERON ARCHAEOLOGY, 2022, ADEN COUNTRY PARK: POST-EXCAVATION RESEARCH DESIGN FOR EXCAVATIONS 2016-2021, PERD (Bibliographic reference). SAB8535.

ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2022, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND, NEW SERIES, VOLUME 22 (2021), p.19 (Bibliographic reference). SAB8314.

CAMERON, A, 2024, ADEN COUNTRY PARK: A NEOLITHIC ENCLOSURE, POST-REFORMATION CHAPEL, 18TH C MANSION HOUSE AND A 19TH C MILITARY TRAINING GROUND (Bibliographic reference). SAB8688.

Nov 14 2018 , AAS-GR-18-11-071 - 078, AAS-GR-18-11-071 - 078 (Ground Photograph). SAB35949.

Record last edited

Jun 17 2024 2:45PM