Document record MAB60198 - POWMYRE QUARRY

Prehistoric settlement and burials.

Prehistoric settlement and burials. An archaeological evaluation was carried out by Headland Archaeology, in advance of Phase 1 of proposed sand and gravel quarrying, in November 2003 and January 2004. Nine trenches were excavated, totalling 1200 m, a two percent sample of the site. Apart from a small modern field boundary ditch, no archaeological features were discovered. A watching brief carried out by Headland Archaeology in June-July 2007 during the topsoil stripping for the Phase 1 works recorded several groups of features of archaeological interest. These comprised two groups of long cists aligned east-west, an isolated log cist also aligned east-west, an isolated short cist, three groups of postholes of prehistoric date and a prehistoric roundhouse with associated structures. There were also several isolated postholes and a possible prehistoric souterrain. All of the long cists were located at high points on the hill. Long Cist Group A contain four cists built of pink sandstone slabs, two of the lids having collapsed into the cists, these containing almost complete skeletons. The other two had been damaged by ploughing and only the basal slabs and fragmentary side slabs remained: these contained only fragmentary skeletal material. The burials were probably of three adults and an infant. Long Cist Group B some 62 m to the northwest comprised three very poorly preserved cists, which appeared to have been constructed from cobbles and pink sandstone slabs. Only one had in-situ skeletal remains, all three having disarticulated human remains. The solitary cist, circa 100 m east of Group A, was of similar construction to the Group B cists. The short cist was found some distance to the south of Group A, well preserved, constructed of large pink sandstone slabs including a very large (1.2 m square) capping stone. It contained the remains of a crouched adult burial, with fragments of a beaker vessel indicating a Bronze Age date for the burial. To the west of Cist Group B a single isolated pit containing ash and burnt bone was probably a cremation burial, likely of prehistoric date although no dating evident was obtained. At the top of the hill on the west side of the area stripped, there was evidence of prehistoric settlement comprising posthole groupings representing several timber built structures, including a roundhouse with a porch opening to the southeast, a possible second roundhouse to the southwest, a four post structure and a probable eight-post structure. Pottery from features in this area indicated a Bronze Age date for the structures. A large pit on the east side of the settlement area may have been a quarry pit. Two other groups of postholes and small pits were recorded on the site, Group A on the eastern side of the area and Group B in the southwestern part of the stripped area. three isolated pits or postholes were also recorded. The pottery assemblage from across the site comprises fragments from at least 33 vessels, from three phases of activity: Early to Middle Neolithic settlement, Early Bronze Age burials, and Late Bronze Age settlement. A watching brief was maintained during additional work to the Phase 1 area in November 2007. This revealed nine more features, which consisted of three aligned pits that continued the line of the previously found four, a group of pits and some isolated features. A further watching brief was undertaken in April 2008 during topsoil stripping of an additional area on the north, and three further features were recorded. These were an isolated posthole, a hearth and a possible burnt mound. Pottery sherds of prehistoric date were also recovered. See also NO35SE0096 (Phase 2 and 3), NO35SE0115 and NO35SE0101 (Phase 4),NO35SE0218 and NO35SE0219 (Phase 5), NO35SE0285 (Phase 6).

Period Notes
Radiocarbon dates from Phase 1 - EBA-LBA: 3600+/-40BP (which equals 2127 BC - 1784 BC at 2 sigma); 2840+/-40BP (which equals 1127 BC - 903 BC at 2 sigma); 2830+/-40BP (which equals 1124 BC - 897 BC at 2 sigma); 2820+/-40BP (which equals 1115 BC - 853 BC at 2 sigma); 2775+/-40BP (which equals 1013 BC - 829 BC at 2 sigma). Early-Late Neolithic: 4775+/-40BP (which equals 3646 BC - 3382 BC at 2 sigma); 4020+/-40BP (which equals 2833 BC - 2466 BC at 2 sigma). Early Medieval: 1415+/-40BP (which equals 565 AD - 669 AD at 2 sigma). 1455+/-40BP (which equals 542 AD - 655 AD at 2 sigma). The calibrated dates are derived from OxCal 4.2.

RECORDING ARCHAEOLOGY OPEN PAST WEBSITE, , RECORDING ARCHAEOLOGY OPEN PAST WEBSITE, 29/11/2022 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3188.

SHERIDAN, A, , THE POTTERY FROM POWMYRE QUARRY, GLAMIS (JUNE-JUL 2007 EXCAVATION) (Bibliographic reference). SAB4856.

HUMBLE, J, 07/2008, Watching Brief at Powmyre Quarry, Glamis- Phase 1, data structure report (Bibliographic reference). SAB2736.

Watching Brief

HEADLAND, 2003, POWMYRE FARM, ANGUS: W.S.I. (Bibliographic reference). SAB2750.

BROWN, G, 2004, RESULTS OF EVALUATION AT POWMYRE FARM, KIRRIEMUIR (Bibliographic reference). SAB3733.

evaluation

ANSELL, J, 2005, DES 2004 POWMYRE SAND AND GRAVEL, 18 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2189.

DES ENTRY

HEADLAND ARCHAEOLOGY, 2007, ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF AT POWMYRE SAND & GRAVEL QUARRY ADDITIONAL WORKS: DATA STRUCTURE REPORT, WB DSR (Bibliographic reference). SAB2715.

HEADLAND ARCHAEOLOGY, 2007, ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF AT POWMYRE SAND & GRAVEL QUARRY PHASE 1: DATA STRUCTURE REPORT, WB DSR (Bibliographic reference). SAB2714.

HEADLAND, 2007, POWMYRE QUARRY, GLAMIS, ANGUS: METHOD STATEMENT (Bibliographic reference). SAB2751.

ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2009, DISCOVERY & EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND, VOL 9, 2008, p.28 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3496.

WINLOW, S, 2010, TWO NEW DATES FROM TWO OLD INVESTIGATIONS: A RECONSTRUCTION OF THE WOMEN'S KNOWE AND KINGOODIE LONG CIST CEMETERY, p.50 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3427.

BAILEY, E, 2012, THE EXCAVATION OF NEOLITHIC, BRONZE AGE AND EARLY HISTORIC FEATURES AT POWMYRE QUARRY. IN TAYSIDE AND FIFE ARCH. J. 18, 41- 61, TAFAJ, 18, 41-61 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3775.

Jul 10 2007 , DGT1467-89, DGT1467-89 (Ground Photograph). SAB21083.

Record last edited

Oct 14 2025 10:46AM