Archaeological Watching Brief, Stroneslaney Farm, Stroneslaney, Strathyre, Stirlingshire

The Client/Landowners, Mr G and Mrs J MacIntyre, via Denholm Partnership Architects, commissioned Alder Archaeology Limited to undertake an archaeological watching brief and 3 evaluation trial trenches on the site of 4 holiday lets in 3 proposed new buildings, at Stroneslaney Farm, Stroneslaney Road, Strathyre, 2km ESE of Balquhidder. Stirlingshire The proposed development area lies 50m S and 200m W of the river Balvag as it curves around the site. The development area is located on the E slopes of Stronslaney Hill leading to Beinn Luidh to the SW and is bisected by Stroneslaney Road between Balquhidder in the NW and Strathyre to the S. It is centred on NN 55787 19704 and covers an area of approximately 6450 m�. The work (site code CC06) was undertaken on the 23rd and 24th October 2023 in cold but dry weather conditions. Special attention was paid to the possibility that the area of the proposed development forms part of the site of a clan battle between the McLarens and the Leneys dating to the 13th C (Canmore 24081, WoSAS 63602). There is uncertainty over the exact location of the battle as Stroneslaney is marked as the battle site on the 1862 1st Edition OS map, but accounts held on the Historic Environment Record differ. The development area may also contain buried remains relating to structures shown on late 18th C military maps which pre-date the current farm. A Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) for an archaeological watching brief and evaluation was prepared by Alder Archaeology and approved by West of Scotland Archaeology Service (WoSAS) as advisors to the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority. The original requirement as detailed in the site WSI was to archaeologically monitor and record the machine excavation of all foundation trenches, service trenches, and reduction of soil levels across the area impacted by proposed dwellings 2, 3 4, and 5, as well as associated access roads, services and landscaping works. The work also included 4 evaluation trenches over the area where proposed dwelling 1 would extend the existing farm cottage. This was to record whether further watching brief visits or other mitigation would be required when this phase of works takes place, or whether the area had already been heavily disturbed by previous construction. The main aim of the watching brief was to evaluate the presence/absence, date, character, and quality of any known or unknown archaeological remains surviving within the development area of dwellings 4, and 5, which would be impacted by the development and surrounding landscaping. The main aim of the evaluation trenches was to evaluate the presence/absence, date, character, and quality of any known or unknown archaeological remains surviving within the development area of dwelling 2 and 3, which would be impacted by the development and surrounding landscaping, and may require mitigation, including a further watching brief or other archaeological intervention. Works in the area of dwelling 1 were not undertaken. The proposed development area lies 50m S and 200m W of the river Balvag as it curves around the site. The development area is on the E slopes of Stronslaney Hill leading to Beinn Luidh to the SW and is bisected by Stroneslaney Road between Balquhidder in the NW and Strathyre to the S. The site falls steeply to the NE from the forested slops of Stronslaney Hill with various terraces created to site farm buildings and storage areas. A single track tarmac road with passing places (Stroneslaney Road) runs between the site of proposed dwellings 1,2 and dwellings 3, 4 and 5. NE of the farm the land becomes a flat flood plain for the river Balvag dotted with occasional hawthorn trees and crossed by drainage ditches. Dwellings 2 and 3 are proposed in terraced areas currently used as storage stack yards for the farm, surrounding a mid-20th C timber outhouse store.