UPDATE ON ARCHAEOLOGY AT RUTHVEN
by John Triggs, Archaeologist

Beginning in June 2002, Historic Horizon Inc. began a program of archaeological investigation at Ruthven Park.

Excavations are being carried out in conjunction with the restoration of the exterior of the mansion. Throughout the summer and into the fall, archaeological investigations have uncovered previously unknown details relating to the 19th century history of the house.

View of south wall foundation showing timber (unknown function) and rubble footing at base of wall within original builders' trench, ca. 1845. Interestingly, the south and north foundation walls were each built in a different manner. A builders' trench is not in evidence on the north wall where the foundation stones were laid directly up against the natural clay trench wall.

A cellar entranceway on the north wall foundation was found early in the investigation. This cellar staircase, constructed of mortared stone and buried below about 40 centimetres of soil, represents an original architectural feature constructed ca. 1845. Careful excavation of this area revealed that the cellar entrance was no longer in use by about 1860 (as indicated by the ceramics and a Bank of Upper Canada penny dated 1859), when the walls were partially destroyed, the staircase buried, and the doorway blocked up.

Hundreds of other artifacts recovered include tableware ceramics, smoking pipes, bottle fragments, food bone and other debris that was deposited in the fill over the staircase. The remains of the feature have been preserved and these may be used as an interpretative feature at Ruthven in the future.

Additional excavations around the main house have revealed a kitchen midden full of household debris including several pieces of architectural hardware that will provide useful information for the conservation of doors and windows. Other evidence has revealed differences in construction techniques associated with the various building phases of the house throughout the 19th century. As work proceeds, additional finds will continue to shed light on the 19th century history of Ruthven.