The following detailed descriptions of our fieldwalking activities have been submitted to "Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 2000", published by the
Council for Scottish Archaeology.
NS 916 417
Clydesdale District
During fieldwalking a ploughed field on Charleston Farm adjacent to the A73 a number of interesting discoveries were made. At the top end of the field the following items were found - the top of a bell possibly Early Mediaeval (though an equally good case could be made for it being a Roman terret), a bronze foot of a Mediaeval cauldron and some bronze slag. Most of the west side of the field from this spot down was found to be an area where mid to late nineteenth century rubbish had been scattered on the field. In the bottom south eastern corner of the field was found a base metal pilgrim badge; it had a scallop design on it indicating a connection with St James of Compostella. This discovery was made about 10.50 metres from the side of the field and about 20 metres up from the edge of an old river bank that forms the southern border of the field.
Other discoveries include a couple of grey chert microliths and a piece of worked flint. The microliths are possibly Mesolithic in date and the flint is probably Neolithic as it appears to be an unfinished willow leafed arrowhead.
Sponsors - Lanark and District Archaeological Society
NS 918 418
Clydesdale District
Little was found in this area apart from some worked chert and a piece of 14th century mediaeval pottery. There was also a scatter of late nineteenth century Domestic pottery.
Sponsors - Lanark and District Archaeological Society
NS 917 415
Clydesdale District
Investigations in this area, which lies adjacent to a nursery, made some good finds. Behind the nursery and about 15 metres from the edge of the old road going in the direction of Hyndford Bridge half a dozen shards of late Mediaeval pottery were found in one area. It is hoped that further ploughing in the same locality might reveal the rest of the pot. Other pieces of Mediaeval pottery were also found of the same period and earlier, of these the most interesting was a 14th century jug handle covered with an apple green glaze. A variety of clay pipe stems and bowls were found varying in date from the late 17th century to the Victorian era. None of the clay pipe bowls or stems was of particular interest.
There was a considerable spread of late Victorian rubbish scattered over the field amongst this there was a considerable amount of pottery and various artefacts including a slate pencil. There were several early 19th century fertilizer bag seals made out of lead including one from Fiume in the Adriatic.
Sponsors - Lanark and District Archaeological Society
NS 923 415
Clydesdale District
In this field which was very clayey nothing was found apart from one area which appeared to be fairly dark suggesting a charcoal deposit. No artefacts were found.
Sponsors - Lanark and District Archaeological Society
NS 932 412
Clydesdale District
In the large field opposite Shawhill little was found apart from some late nineteenth century domestic rubbish found at the entrance to the field near the site of a cottage which had been demolished some years previously.
Sponsors - Lanark and District Archaeological Society
NS 974 378
Clydesdale District
A variety of chert wasters, one chert cutting tool, a piece of worked Arran pitchstone and one flint waster were found, difficult to ascribe dates but the assemblage probably spans the late Mesolithic to the Early Neolithic periods. One of the more surprising finds was a piece of well worn Samian Ware. There is no known Roman presence on the site.
In the north east corner of this field one of the bottom feet was found of a Mediaeval cauldron. There were also about a dozen fragments of early Mediaeval pottery belonging roughly to the 14th century. Other metallic finds from this area of the field included two lead spindle whorls of the Middle Ages and a piece of lead pistol shot.
Amongst the other finds made in this field, there was a large selection of clay pipe stems and bowls. Two of the bowls are 17th century in date and as for the stems , there are several fragments of stems from mid 19th century pipes made in Glasgow.
Sponsors - the Lanark and District Archaeological Society
NS 972 380
Clydesdale District
In the third field to be investigated which lies parallel to the road coming off the main A72 at the Tinto café crossroads a few items were found. The metal objects found include a well worn piece of lead pistol shot and a piece of 17th century bronze scroll work ,use as yet unidentified. A single fragment of the base of a lightly glazed pot of the 14th century was also recovered. A fragment of canal worked canal coal was found and this is reckoned to belong to the Prehistoric period.
Sponsors - Lanark and District Archaeological Society
NS 968 322
Clydesdale District
On the site of a possible henge site west of Chesterhall farm a flake of light brown flint was found. Probably dating to the Neolithic period. In the field to the east of the henge site and adjacent to the farm of Chesterhall a couple of pieces of chipped blue chert were found as well as a piece of worked grey brown flint
Sponsors - Lanark and District Archaeological Society
NS 034 536
Clydesdale District
In the area being developed for forestry to the north of South Tabrax farm, the following finds were made - a selection of pottery fragments dating from c.1780 - 1860 and three prehistoric finds - one brown flint waster, a piece of burnt flint and a piece of struck grey quartzite.
Sponsors - Lanark and District Archaeological Society