Peel Embayment, also known as the Manx Wetland Project

Date(s): 1993-2003

Creator(s): Centre for Manx Studies

Administration / Biographical History: In December 1993 the Centre for Manx Studies (CMS) hosted a meeting of academics involved in a range of fieldwork activities to discuss ways in which their differing areas of knowledge, interests and institutions might collaborate much more closely and effectively. The outcome was an agreement to combined energies on a study of the Peel Embayment. The area was chosen as it contains a complex geological, botanical, archaeological and historical sites and it was the location for important unfinished projects:

1. 1994-1995 season
2. 1995-1996 season
3. 1997 season
4. 2000-2004

1994-1995 season
This season focused on getting to know the study area and was successful in establishing two databases/gazetteers of existing archaeological information, a flint scatter preliminary survey by Sinead McCartan (as part of her PhD research) and a provisional list of prehistoric sites and chance finds by Peter Davey and Jenny Woodcock, both databases were presented on Monday the 18th July 1994.

An investigation of the wetlands for peat deposits with sufficient depths to provide long detailed pollen sequences was undertaken with the Central Valley surfacing as the most promising.

Field walking took place in plot numbers 2398, 2102, 2169 and part of 2169.

1995-1996 season
Geomorphology of the valley of the River Neb (University of Wolverhampton):
The survey set out to remap the terrace fragments, relate them to one another and establish their numbers and relative heights. It mapped other related geomorphological features on the valley floor and attempted to establish the composition of the sediments which make up each terrace and other features. Finally, it sought to establish the chronology of terrace formation and to propose models for further research.

Pollen studies on the wetland peats - (University of Wolverhampton):
Peat was collected for analysis and for C14 dating from four sites which had been previously identified from the 1994 survey: Raggatt, Ballalough Farm, Brack a Broom (giant Irish Elk site) and Port Y Candas. The results were published in Innes and Blackford (1995).

Ecology - (University of Wolverhampton):
A general vegetation survey of the wetland areas was carried out along with pH tests at the same four sites chosen above for pollen cores, the results showed that Port y Candas was a much more acidic site (pH4.0-5.0) than the others and therefore offered greater possibilities of preservation of organic archaeological material. The Raggatt (pH6.5-7.0) reflects greater immediate human disturbance whereas Ballalough and Brack a Broom are essentially minerotrophic (ground water fed) mires (pH5.5).

Important unfinished archaeological projects:
Several major sites that had been part excavated or examined needed finalising and excavation reports produced. This included the Ballaharra site and Upper Lhergydoo excavated by Shelia Cregeen, the Port y Candas excavation by Peter Gelling and the Peel Castle excavation by David Freke (1982-1987). During this season work started on getting these excavations into a workable condition and most of Shelia Cregeen’s remaining excavations (which were in a better order than the latter) were published by Cubbon (1995), Woodcock (1995) and Radcliffe (1995).

Continuation of wide scale archaeological survey:
Included a structured fieldwalking program aimed at known and new flint scatters and burnt soil sites at Knocksharry, Ballawyllin field, Ballalaugh & Ballaleece, German, a detailed study of the early maps and documents relating to the area and map preparation showing mid 19th century land use. A detailed description of all archaeological sites and material from the research area with accompanying maps, plans and artefact drawings continued and aerial photography was examined for new and existing archaeological sites. Photographs included prints from a recent RCHME Arial photograph survey from July 1995 (Bewley 1999). In 1996 copies of slides SC2881/5-6, SC2582/3-4, SC2682/4, SC2482/4, SC2683/5, SC2528/1, SC2981/1 were requested and obtained. Tim Darvill also carried out a detailed survey of Tynwald plain for MNH.

1997 season
The post-excavation report for Port y Candas continued to make progress, with Andrew Hartley spending 6 months sorting out the excavation archive at the museum. The wide scale archaeological survey also continued with a survey of enclosures and land tenure in the parishes of Patrick and German being produced as a final year dissertation by Raymond Moore at Aberystwyth. Further flint and pottery groups were collected from the study area and work on the Greeba peat column taken by Jeff Blackford and students continued. David Freke’s Peel Castle publication was well on its way to being finalised.

2000 Port-y-Candas excavation
Excavations at Port-y-Candas took place in July 2000 with three main aims: to re-assess Dr Peter Gelling's excavations (1973 to 1981), to examine the relationship between the platform/mound, the underlying glacial clay and the surrounding peat-filled basin and to find dating and environmental evidence.

A trench, purposely located to uncover part of the previous 1973 and 1981 excavation area was situated upon the platform and extended down along its side, across the inner ditch to the inner bank. A second trench was dug into the outer bank, with the aim of investigating the construction of this feature; the revetting at the edge of the platform was also examined. An assessment of the previous excavations stratigraphy allowed Gelling's notes and drawings to be understood in greater detail.

The excavation results showed that Port-y-Candas had multi-period occupation and is situated upon a peat bog which has been growing since the early Holocene. Worked flints from the mound’s surface were dated to the late Neolithic/early Bronze Age by associated charcoal and a large waterlogged timber dating to the Iron Age was found within the inner ditch. The inner bank was constructed with a layer of blue-grey clay and the outer is a stone construction. Peat samples taken from beneath these features suggest that construction took place either sometime after the late Bronze Age or perhaps between the 5th to 8th centuries AD. The later dates tie into the platforms main phase of activity.

2000-2004
David Freke’s Peel Castle excavation was published in 2002 (Freke 2002) and work started on producing a publication for the Peel Embayment project. The new evidence of the solid and drift geology of the area was incorporated into the new geological map (British Geological Survey 2001) and memoire (Chadwick et al, 2001). Two new soil monographs and several palaeo-botanical reports were also produced (Innes et al, 2004), and a linguistic and archaeological re-assessment of Tynwald Hill site was published in the Centre’s e-journal Studeyrys Manninagh (Broderick, 2003).

People:
P J Davey (PJD), P Tomlinson (PRT), J Woodcock (JJW), B Moss, N Johnson, S McCartan, J J Blackford, J B Innes, R Dackombe, D G Quirk, S Burrow, R Moore, A Hartley

Language: English

Collection: Manuscript Archive

Level: SERIES

ID number: MS 14146/23

Access conditions: No regulations or restrictions are implemented on this material. Advance notification of a research visit is advisable by emailing library@mnh.gov.im

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