Phase one completed
The first phase of the Prestongrange Community Archaeology Project, which started in Spring 2004, has now been completed and all the finds are currently being examined by specialists and two fieldwork reports have been written up for year one and the full Phase 1 work.
The main objective of the first phase of archaeological work at Prestongrange was to identify and evaluate whether anything survived beneath the ground of the earlier industries associated with Prestongrange.
Before the archaeological dig took place it was known that the area had been used for coal exploitation and salt panning as far back as the 12th and 13th centuries and that by the 16th century a formal harbour had been constructed. Associated with the harbour was a tidal mill and close by was located a fort and underground vaults. By the 17th century Prestongrange was home to an industrial glass making facility – the first of its kind in Scotland. By 1772 Gordon’s Pottery was founded on exactly the same site as the earlier glassworks.
But what we didn't know was did any of these earlier industries survive and was there any evidence of any structures and/or artefacts?
