8. Archaeology

Headland Archaeology have been appointed by the University to investigate potential archaeology on the Potterrow site. Headland have provided the following summary of results of the Archaeological Evaluation.

Summary

“An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Headland Archaeology in July 2004 at the Potterrow Car Park,  Edinburgh in advance of a proposed development. This area lay outside the medieval burgh and was developed in the mid 18th century but the name Potterrow suggests a tradition of pottery manufacturing in the area. In total 9 trenches were machine excavated. The foundations and basements of buildings that lay either side of Bristo Street which formerly ran diagonally through the area were identified. No pre-modern finds were recovered. However, a possible ‘garden soil’ lying above the natural clay was identified in two of the trenches in the south-eastern corner and one trench in the north-eastern corner of the site. Though ‘garden soils’ are commonly medieval in date, this deposit broadly corresponds to former garden areas lying to the rear of the late 18th/19th properties fronting onto Bristo Street. If earlier medieval deposits were to survive within the site, they would only survive in these areas. The work was undertaken as part of a pre-planning application. The specification for the evaluation was agreed with the City of Edinburgh Council Archaeology Service, who advise the Council as planning authority on archaeology matters. The work was funded by the applicant, the University of Edinburgh.”