As we have been collating over two years' worth of data and artefacts recorded along the banks of the River Ness in Inverness, we are beginning to see how these snapshots of the town's past can help us learn more about the changes along the river over time. 

The development project is yet another phase in construction along the banks of the river, which follows on from centuries of infrastructural changes in Inverness. Undoubtedly, with so many changes to the town, especially over the last 200 years, there has been much prior destruction to archaeological remains in the city centre. However, remains of former buildings and river embankment structures did survive in many places along Bank St, Huntly St and Riverside St in particular. Amazingly, even a 1.6m-long section of a possible Medieval ditch was recorded on Friars St.

As we work to compare the archaeology results with historical sources, we hope to be able to conclude much more about sites such as the wall of this demolished building and the artefacts that came from a large pit full of burnt material next to it.

Remnants of a demolished building in the trench section, Riverside St, Inverness

Finds recovered from a nearby pit, clockwise: porcelain candlestick, copper alloy instrument(?) fitting, ivory button, clay pipe stem with teethmarks on the end, amber(?) pipe stem fragment, clay pipe stem