EDINBURGH ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIELD $OCIETY -'

Magnetometrv Survey to the East of

Cramond House, Edinburgh

1. Summary

The parkland to the East of Cramond House was the subject of area ground resistance,
resistive linear array and very limited magnetometry surveys in 2004. The results
were recorded in the report 'Geophysical Investigation in the parkland to the east of
Cramond House, Edinburgh7EAFS Geophysics Occasional Paper No 10 to which this
report must be seen as an addendum.

The area covered by this magnetometry survey is basically the same as that of the
2004 area resistance survey; this facilitates comparison of resistive and magnetic
features. The site plan (Illus. 7.1.) shows the area surveyed in relation to Cramond
House and village. A significant number of large magnetic anomalies were recorded
some of which require elimination due to being caused by wire fencing; six occur
around more recently planted trees enclosed by stock proof fencing. Illus.7.2 shows
the magnetometry printout with wire fencing highlighted.

The high and low resistive lines, along the edge of the old raised beach, that were
interpreted from the area and linear array surveys as relating to upcast, ditch and wall,
appear more clearly on the magnetometry printouts. These are seen to curve to the
south at the eastern end of the parkland and to the north-west at the western end, in
both cases following the curvature of the raised beach. Two similar curving lines at
the western end, approximately 20 and 30m south of the raised beach edge, could also
be defensive features; these are shown in the annotation of Illus. 7.3.

Along the centre of the parkland a tree avenue fiames a view of Benvick Law fiom
the house and it is assumed that the formal garden, associated with the first 1680
house, was similarly aligned. The linear magnetic responses on this alignment could
be caused by the path and bedding layout or, as the raised beach edge is on the same
bearing, represent Roman vicus buildings parallel to the north ditch and wall.

A cluster of high negative anomalies lies in the north east corner of the survey at the
point where upcast, ditch and wall curve to the south. Another irregularly spaced
group lies on the southern side of the survey and some of these appear to be
coincident with high resistive features. As the vicus is likely to have contained ovens,
kilns, hearths for metal working and rubbish pits the magnetic anomalies could
represent any of these. The large rectangle, outlined in high positive anomaly dots,
that appears at the western end of the survey, is on a different alignment possibly
parallel to the wall as it curves to the north.