An organically rich medieval midden and other finds from the Top of the Town, Stirling

Abstract

The replacement of the water mains from Touch to Stirling involved the digging of 42 trenches within the historic core of Stirling. This work has highlighted the presence and survival of waterlogged medieval middens within this historic centre which have been destroyed by piecemeal developments within the burgh. During this project a waterlogged midden deposit was revealed in Broad Street (Trench 29) and found to contain both carbonised and uncarbonised plant remains, animal bones, leather, wood offcuts and industrial waste. The presence of medieval pottery and a radiocarbon date indicate that the midden accumulated during the 13th to early 15th centuries and represents the remains of waterlogged domestic and industrial waste.