Inverness, Academy Street

NH64NE 619 667 456

NH 667 456 Trial trenching in advance of redevelopment of the former Inverness Royal Academy and MFI store revealed that the redevelopment of the site of the car park to the rear of the MFI store in the 1980s had resulted in the removal of any archaeological features pre-dating the 20th century.
The remains were found of a mortared stone culvert, truncated by modern services, and of an earlier vennel surface, both of 19th-century date. No trace was found of the supposed defensive ditch located in Hamilton Street (W G Duncan 1976).
Sponsor: Redbourn Group plc for MFI Properties
D Perry 1998

NH 667 455 (trenches A-C) NH 667 454 (trenches D-F)
SUAT (the Scottish Urban Archaeological Trust Ltd) was commissioned by Redbourne Group plc for MFI Properties to carry out an evaluation of the archaeological implications of a proposed development at Academy Street, Inverness. This was in fulfillment of a planning condition by Highland Council and followed the terms of a specification prepared jointly by Highland Archaeological Service and Redburn Group Plc. After a desk based assessment a series of trial trences and test pits (A-F) were excavated between the 25th and 29th of May 1998. These were situated in the former MFI car park and in the vennel leading from Academy street to the former entrance to MFI. All trenches were excavated by machine and then cleaned by hand. It was clear that no archaeolgical remains survive under the car park for the MFI warehouse. The redevelopment of the site in the 1980's involved the removal of most of the existing ground surface and its replacement with sand, gravel and hardcore. No trace of the presumed ditch excavated in Hamilton Street was found in the vennel off Academy Street, though traces of the original vennel surface remained. In the trenches in the vennel a stone culvert was excavated which was probably associated with the Academy extension in the mid-19th century. It was concluded that it is not likely that anything earlier than 19th century survives beneath the site developed in the 1980's. The report recommends a watching brief on the demolition of the Royal Bank of Scotland, possibly leading to some further limited excavation. Also a watching brief on bulk ground reduction across the development area has been recommended.
Sponsor: Redbourn Group plc for MFI Properties Ltd
NMRS MS/727/15 (SUAT Ltd)

NH 6669 4558 A programme of trial trenching was undertaken in January 2002 after a desk-based survey (DES 2001, 57). No archaeological features or deposits of interest were revealed, the area being a former schoolyard.
Full report deposited in Highland SMR and the NMRS.
Sponsor: Bowlts Chartered Surveyors.
S Farrell 2002