SAIR 32:Archaeology of Landscape Change in South-West Scotland, 6000 BC – AD 1400: Excavations at William Grant and Sons Distillery, Girvan

by Iain Banks, Paul R J Duffy and Gavin MacGregor
with contributions from Ewan Campbell, John Duncan, Jennifer Miller, Susan Ramsay, Catherine Smith and Eland Stewart and illustrations by John Arthur, Caitlin Evans and Charlotte Francoz

Glasgow University Archaeological Research Division (GUARD), Gregory Building, Lilybank Gardens, Hillhead, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, tel 0141 330 5541

ISBN 978 0 903903 981

Published in June 2009 by The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, in association with The Council for British Archaeology and Historic Scotland, in Adobe Acrobat format. Available free of charge (see Terms & Conditions of Use).

Report Summary

Between 1996 and 1998, Glasgow University Archaeological Research Division (GUARD) undertook a programme of archaeological investigation at the headquarters of William Grant and Sons Distillers Ltd, Girvan. The work revealed evidence of occupation and use from prehistoric times, including palaeobotanical and pedological evidence of deliberate prehistoric tree clearance, and the presence of six discrete deposits of burnt mound material. The project also confirmed the survival of archaeological deposits relating to the occupation of the medieval moated enclosure of Ladywell. A number of worked lithics, indicative of prehistoric tool making or maintenance, were also recovered.

The excavation and post-excavation work allowed an opportunity to explore the occupational, ecological and geomorphological history of the entire length of the valley, from the immediate post-glacial period to the present day. The results contribute significantly to our understanding of the changing patterns of human interaction with environment and landscape over a period of some 10,000 years, both in the immediate area and beyond.

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Report content

	Title Page
	Table of Contents
	List of Illustrations
	List of Tables
1	Summary
2	Introduction by Paul Duffy
3	Archaeological Background by Paul Duffy
4	Methodology by Paul Duffy & Iain Banks
5	Results by Iain Banks, Paul Duffy & Gavin MacGregor
6	Specialist Contributions by Gavin MacGregor
	6.1 Soils by John S Duncan
	6.1.1 Burnt mound site
	6.1.2 Timber site
	6.2 Botanical evidence by Jennifer Miller and Susan Ramsay
	6.2.1 Phase 1: Vegetation history at the time of peat accumulation and the formation of overlying alluvial deposits
	6.2.2 Phase 2: The formation of the burnt mound deposits
	6.2.3 Phase 3: Medieval activity
	6.3 Animal bone by Catherine Smith
	6.3.1 Discussion
	6.4 Chipped stone by Eland Stuart
	6.4.1 Discussion
	6.5 Glass bead by Ewan Campbell
	6.6 Medieval pottery by Bob Will
	6.6.1 Discussion
	6.7 Radiocarbon dates by Paul Duffy
7	Conclusions by Paul Duffy
8	Acknowledgements
9	References

Published by The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, in association with The Council for British Archaeology and Historic Scotland, in Adobe Acrobat format. Available free of charge (see Terms & Conditions of Use).

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Page last modified by Seren Langley on Friday 26 June 2009.