METRO 08/03/2005
What's that underneath? The arches
A famrmer has unearthes a mysterious network of 700-year old tunnels. Peter Waddell uncoverd the stone built cavern underneath his farm, believed to be built by medieval monks. The network features an arched tunnel which runs for around a mile beneath Park Farm, neat Linlithgow, West Lothian. archaeologists believe the culvert dates back to when early monks farmed the land. Some locals believe the tunnels may have provided escape rouths for the monks when their friary was under threat. The tunnel is constructed from hand-cut sand stone blocks. Buried 3metres beneath the ground, it is around 1.5metres high by 1metre wide. Dr Tony Pollard, an archaeologist at Glasgow University, hailed is as an important discovery.
linlithgowtoday.co.uk 18/02/2005
HISTORY UNCOVERED Ancient find a 'labour of love'
Building work on a new canalside restaurant near linlithgow has uncovered a network of ancient tunnels.
Work at park farm, Kingscavil, was halted to allow further investigation when a stone-built watercourse was unearthed. The watercourse has proved to be a real labour of love because it comprises hand-cut sandstone blocks and an arched roof. The structure is around 1.5m high and one metre wide and farmer Peter Waddell estimets that it could be anything up to a mile in length.
MONKS
Estimates of the age of the structure vary widely. According to Mr Waddell, records show Park Farm was farmed by monks attached to Linlithgow Palace. Although the tunnel which runs in a northerly direction from Kinscavil and under the Union Canal before passing through the yard at Park Farm, may date back to late medieval times, it could have also have been builr in the early 19th century during a perios of extensive improvement of farm land in West Lothian.
Mr Waddell said: "The whole farm is is crisscrossed by hidden culverts. We have traced several and the appear to have been constructed from whinestone and are much less substantial. "The tunnel uncovered last week is made from cut sandstone blocks with an arched roof. It is also much larger that the pthers. "I suspect it could be as much as a mile in length and porbably originates in the area of what used to be Kingscavil village which was largely demolished in the 1030s after the shale oil industry collapsed."
Local historian Bruce Jamieson suggested the structure was a 17th century mill lade, its depth underground suggesting that it pre-dates the Union Canal which was dug out towards the end of the 18th century. He said: "I suspect that it dates from the agricultural revolution when there was a lot of improvement doen to the fields. "Although not hugely significant in itself, the discovery helps map the history of the farming community around the time of the 1770-1830."
The Park Restaurant is scheduled to open later this year.
Mr Waddell added: "Although it may not look like it at the moment, we are confident we will have the place ready by May."
Scott, A.
Entered WoSAS (CM) 15/08/2005
Visited by SJ (WoSAS) Spring 2005 - substantial drainage tunnels, likely to be either directly related to estate water management, a drainage channel under the canal - or drainage for the tunnels marked on the 1st Ed.They are mortared and are not likely to be of great antiquity. RCAHMS have agreed to go back when the weather is a little dryer to have a closer look.
Entered WoSAS (SJ) 23/08/2005