Excavations of three cropmark sites at Melville Nurseries, Dalkeith

Summary Three cropmark sites were excavated by Peter Raisen for Historic Scotland during 1989 in advance of the construction of the A7 Dalkeith Western Bypass. The report on these sites was completed in 1995 by Thomas Rees. The first site comprises two parallel linear cropmarks which are interpreted as flanking ditches to a possible track of unknown date. The second site, a small sub-oval enclosure, proved to be an unenclosed round-house, formed by a ringgroove with external and internal post-holes. Radiocarbon dates and a saddle quern suggest an early Iron Age date for this structure. Excavation of the third cropmark revealed a palisaded enclosure which surrounded an inner enclosure formed by a slot with a shallow internal gully. Radiocarbon and ceramic evidence suggests either a later Bronze Age or Iron Age date for these enclosures. Two bipartite pits, at the northern edge of the palisaded enclosure, were dated to the Roman period. Historic Scotland funded the fieldwork, the post-excavation analyses and the publication of the report.