11A Kilmarnock Road, Mauchline:

Archaeological Watching Brief

Data Structure Report

19 December 2003

Rathmell
Archaeology Ltd
 11a Kilmarnock Road, Mauchline – Archaeological Evaluation

Overview
This Data Structure Report presents the findings of the archaeological watching brief on the
construction of a ground floor shop with residential flat over at 11a Kilmarnock Road,
Mauchline. The development area concerned is an L-shaped area of land that had previously
been a petrol station.
The development area lies on the north side of the proto-burgh of Mauchline, across the burn
from the Grange complex that formed the core of the settlement. East Ayrshire Council had
required an archaeological watching brief to be undertaken as a requirement of the issued
planning consent (03/0249/FL). The West of Scotland Archaeology Service, who advise East
Ayrshire Council on archaeological matters, provided guidance on the structure of
archaeological investigations required.
The objective of the watching brief was to record and recover features, finds and items of
archaeological interest that are impacted upon by the development work. In the case where
the watching brief recovered samples, records or finds from significant archaeological
deposits, these would have been appropriately analysed and reported on. However, no
significant archaeological features or artefacts were identified in the course of these works.
This was inferred to be a result of the scale and severity of disturbance from previous
development of the ground.
Rathmell Archaeology Ltd was appointed to act on behalf of Mr and Mrs Dhinsa with regard
to the archaeological requirements of East Ayrshire Council. The project works were agreed
with the West of Scotland Archaeology Service and all works complied with their standard
conditions and the Institute of Field Archaeology’s Standards, Policy Statements and Code of
Conduct.

Project Works
The Method Statement for the archaeological watching brief was agreed with the West of
Scotland Archaeology Service. This watching brief took place during the ground breaking
works for the foundations of the intended structure on the 12th December 2003 with additional
observation on the 13th December 2003. On the 15th December it was agreed between
Rathmell Archaeology Limited and the West of Scotland Archaeology Service that the nature
of the findings to that date did not warrant further archaeological involvement in the
development.
While on-site we monitored in the northern part of the site, adjacent to Kilmarnock Road,
ground reduction and excavation. In the central part we monitored the excavation of six of
eight intended foundation pits in this area. In the southern portion of the site, above a series
of underground garages, we monitored clearance and two foundation trenches. These areas
(north, central and south) will be referred to as Areas A, B and C respectively.

Findings
Area A is the approximate third of the site closest to Kilmarnock Road that had been used as
a petrol sales area. The demolition following prior use of the site has meant that a very large
portion of this area has been worked prior to this development. The south-east half of this
area was reworked to a depth of about 700mm to remove piping and other services
associated with the forecourt. The north-west portion had been the site of a large
underground petrol tank, since removed. In addition to this, there was continued evidence,
upon excavation, for the existence of foundation structures related to the building of the
former forecourt that were set into the sub soil. This area has been substantially sterilized in
archaeological terms by past development and demolition work.
Area B was the part of the site that had sound potential to contain archaeological material.

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 11a Kilmarnock Road, Mauchline – Archaeological Evaluation

Figure 1: Site layout with Areas defined (A1 – petrol tank; A2 – piping and forecourt area)

Figure 2: Stylised section through the site; Area A illustrates petrol tank; Area B the
foundation pits (with blue subsoil level); Area C the garages and retaining wall over. The
green line indicates the inferred original ground profile.

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 11a Kilmarnock Road, Mauchline – Archaeological Evaluation

Figure 3: Castle Street with garages, retaining wall over and ground surface at base of fence

Figure 4: Junction of Castle Street and The Knowe, Kilmarnock Road visible behind

Figure 5: Foundation pit 4, made ground over truncated subsoil

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 11a Kilmarnock Road, Mauchline – Archaeological Evaluation

Eight of the intended twelve foundation pits to be placed in this area of these six were
opened under our observation. There was a common stratigraphic sequence to all. Made
ground was between 400mm and 800mm deep, which was obviously derived from the
construction of the previous structure, with the greater depth (Pits 3 & 4) towards the south-
east. Pits were opened to a depth of a little over 1m and in every case the made ground
directly overlay an apparently in-situ sandy subsoil. The abrupt interface and the absence of
topsoil are indicative of truncation during earlier development. Taking this into account it is
extremely unlikely that any archaeology could survive in this area. It would appear that
subsequent modern works has removed anything, which may have been here.
In Area C, which is the third of the site furthest from Kilmarnock Road, the slope had been
built up so as to make the entire development area on a level with Kilmarnock Road.
Beneath this part of the site, there are intact underground garages that open onto Castle
Street. Thus there was made ground as deep as any excavation for the current development.
No pre-twentieth century artefacts have been observed from any part of the development site
nor has any evidence of significant archaeology been observed on the site.

Discussion
From our observations of the development in progress we are able to make certain
suggestions about the continued use of the development area throughout modern times. We
may assume that the area naturally sloped from Kilmarnock Road to Castle Street prior to
any development taking place. Further, from the inclusions and bedding of the surviving
subsoil the indications are that natural landform was raised in the centre before steeply
sloping down to Castle Street. These suppositions would appear to be consistent with the
profile of the surrounding land and the recollections of Mr H McAvenie (pers comm).
Through development the entire site had been brought to a level with Kilmarnock Road. A
portion of Area A and all of Area B must have been reduced to this level. Area C had been
built up to the same level so that the extreme southern end of the site is a revetted vertical
drop to Castle Street.
Area A has been excavated to a depth of almost 1m for the placement of piping related to the
site’s use as a petrol station. In addition to this one corner had been excavated to a depth of
several meters in order to install a petrol tank. Both Area A and Area B show evidence of the
underlying subsoil having been truncated during this construction of the petrol station. Area C
was made ground, presumably built up against the slope of the natural subsoil, as far down
as any excavation was intended to go relating to this current development. There is no
reasonable chance of unearthing archaeological remains in this area although there may be
considered a slight potential for the survival of archaeology beneath the made ground.
Our observations lead us to the conclusion that there was no reasonable possibility for
archaeological remains surviving within the development area given the past usage of the
site. Upon consultation with WoSAS it was agreed that no further archaeological monitoring
of the development area was required.

Conclusion
An archaeological watching brief was carried out in keeping with the requirements of
planning consent (03/0249/FL) at 11A Kilmarnock Road, Mauchline. The watching brief was
carried out between the dates of 12th and 13th December 2003. No archaeological material
was observed either during the clearance of the site or the excavation of the foundation pits.
The site had been severely truncated by previous development in the north and there was a
considerable depth of made ground in the south.
Due to the scale of the previous construction work in the development area it was agreed
with the West of Scotland Archaeology Service that there was no reasonable chance of
surviving archaeological remains and that no further archaeological monitoring was required.

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 11a Kilmarnock Road, Mauchline – Archaeological Evaluation

Appendix 1: Record Summaries

Photography Record
Film No. Neg No. Description From Date
1 1 Site looking to Kilmarnock Road SE 12/12/03
1 2 Site looking to Kilmarnock Road E 12/12/03
1 3 Site, work in progress E 12/12/03
1 4 Excavation of founds, looking south N 12/12/03
1 5 Foundation Pit 2 N 12/12/03
1 6 Foundation Pit 1 N 12/12/03
1 7 Examination of Pit 2 NW 12/12/03
1 8 Clearance of rubble in progress S 12/12/03
1 9 View from south of site to Castle Street E 12/12/03
1 10 Excavation of founds at south area E 12/12/03
1 11 Clearance and excavation at south area S 12/12/03
1 12 Foundation Pit 4 N 12/12/03
1 13 Foundation Pit 3 S 12/12/03
1 14 Work in progress, looking N S 12/12/03
1 15 Foundation Pit 5 W 12/12/03
1 16 Foundation Pit 6 W 12/12/03
1 17 Foundation Pit 3 N 12/12/03
1 18 Foundation Pit 5 E 12/12/03
1 19 Showing south end of site, Castle Street SW 12/12/03
1 20 Showing south end of site, Castle Street SW 12/12/03
1 21 Drop from Kilmarnock Rd to Castle St SW 12/12/03

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 11a Kilmarnock Road, Mauchline – Archaeological Evaluation

Appendix 2: Discovery & Excavation in Scotland

LOCAL AUTHORITY: East Ayrshire Council
PROJECT TITLE/SITE 11a Kilmarnock Road, Mauchline
NAME:
PARISH: Mauchline
NAME OF Alan Matthews
CONTRIBUTOR: Thomas Rees
NAME OF Rathmell Archaeology Limited
ORGANISATION:
TYPE(S) OF PROJECT: Watching Brief
NMRS NO(S): None
SITE/MONUMENT None
TYPE(S):
SIGNIFICANT FINDS:+ None
NGR (2 letters, 6 figures) NS 592 552
START DATE (this season) 12th December 2003
END DATE (this season) 13th December 2003
PREVIOUS WORK (incl. None
DES ref.)
PROPOSED FUTURE None
WORK:
MAIN (NARRATIVE) An archaeological watching brief was carried out in
DESCRIPTION: (may keeping with the requirements of planning consent at 11A
include information from Kilmarnock Road, Mauchline. The watching brief was
other fields) carried out between the dates of 12th and 13th December
2003. No archaeological material was observed either
during the clearance of the site or the excavation of the
foundation pits. The site had been severely truncated by
previous development in the north and there was a
considerable depth of made ground in the south.
PROJECT CODE: 03029
SPONSOR OR FUNDING Mr and Mrs Dhinsa
BODY:
ADDRESS OF MAIN 8, Underwood, Kilwinning, Ayrshire KA13 7HR
CONTRIBUTOR:
E MAIL: admin@rathmell-arch.co.uk
ARCHIVE LOCATION Report to West of Scotland Archaeology Service and
(intended/deposited) archive to National Monuments Record of Scotland.

Contact Details
Rathmell Archaeology can be contacted at its Registered Office or through the web:
Rathmell Archaeology Ltd
8, Underwood
Kilwinning
Ayrshire
KA13 7HR

www.rathmell-arch.co.uk

t.: 01294 542848 f.: 01294 542849

m.: 07817 334907 e.: admin@rathmell-arch.co.uk

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