Results of four seasons of archaeological work in Cromarty were revealed at a seminar in the town in November 2016.

Two Cromarty archaeologists, Steven Birch and Mary Peteranna, discovered exposed buildings and pieces of medieval pottery along the coastline following severe storms in December 2012.

Gathering a team of volunteers, and with financial support from Heritage Lottery Fund and Highland Council, a significant programme of excavation revealed medieval Cromarty and an amazing amount of artefacts, all during the Community Archaeology Project 2014-2016.

The work revealed the layout of buildings and how they changed through time. Finds included pottery and glass objects, stone tools and querns, animal and fish bones and artefacts such as medieval spindle whorls, fish hooks, a turning peg, combs, coins and a fine bronze alloy spoon. Another find, in 2016, were the fragments of a large glazed and patterned jug, the pieces of which lay across a former pathway.

In the summer of 2016 Mary Peteranna was the one to discover a medieval well, stone-built and still intact, with stepped access leading several metres underground. Somewhat incongruously, at the base of the well lay the skeleton of a small horse or pony. It is hoped that analysis will provide a date for the animal and, therefore, when the well went out of use.

The photos appearing in the album been taken from the website of Cromarty Medieval Burgh Community Archaeology Project 2014-2116 (see www.medievalcromarty.org ) and are used simply to tempt any browser to visit their excellent website.