Watching Brief at Limekilns Wind Farm Connection, Dounreay

The initial works on site involved the demarcating of two areas of archaeological potential to prevent accidental damage to the sites during the groundworks, specifically Scheduled Monument at Clach Claisan Tuirc Standing Stone and a sheepfold. The position of the two sites with suitable buffer zones was marked on the ground prior to erection of fencing by an archaeologist. An archaeological watching brief was carried out along the northern section of the connection route, noted as Area A to the east of Scheduled Monument of Knock Urray Broch within the approved Written Scheme of Investigation (2023). All ground-breaking works were observed by an experienced archaeologist within Area A until the natural geology was reached at which point the watching brief ceased. All excavations were undertaken through the use of a tracked mechanical excavator with a toothless ditching bucket. Excavations were conducted in shallow spits until the watching brief officer was content natural geology was observed. The watching brief was concentrated on the excavations required for the buried powerline which lay to the immediate east of the Scheduled Monument (SM564) of Knock Urray broch. The watching brief revealed a simple stratigraphy of topsoil over a subsoil covering natural geology throughout the works with two undated features uncovered comprising an oval pit and a shallow, short linear feature aligned N-S. Also recorded were numerous stone filled drainage features aligned NW-SE and E-W and a modern machine cut feature. No significant archaeological finds or features were encountered during the works.