An archaeological dig is underway at the site of an old pond at Aberdeen's Duthie Park.

The dig and restoration of the pond are part of exciting plans to breathe new life into Aberdeen's historic Duthie Park by Aberdeen City Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), who are joint funders of a scheme to restore the 44-acre Victorian park to its former glory.

The circular pond, an original feature of the 1883 park layout, is situated in the lower car park area. The pond was infilled in the 1920s when the model yachting pond was extended and laid with turf. The stone steps leading down to the pond from the former terraced walkway were removed in the 1960s.

The first phase of the archaeological fieldwork will include the excavation of 2 trenches across the location of the original pond (to initially assess of the condition and survival of the structure and to identify building materials); and a third trial trench will be excavated across the location of the stone steps leading southwards from the terraced footpath (to assess the level of survival of the steps).

The specific objectives of the fieldwork are to:

* identify the presence/absence of the 1883 circular pond feature;

* identify the presence/absence of the 1883 stone steps;

* determine the condition of any surviving original building materials;

* identify where original building materials can be reused to form the new elements.

The dig will take a minimum of two days.

The second phase will occur if substantial remains of the original pond structure are observed in the trial trenches. This will involve the uncovering of the whole area of the original pond and the controlled machine excavation of any dumped fill material from within the pond. The structures will then be recorded (written, drawn and photographic) and any salvageable materials will be identified by a qualified engineer and removed.

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Aberdeen City Council's and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) scheme will involve:

* renovation of the historic rose mound to its original height;

* re-instatement of the three linked ponds to create a boating lake and a bio-diverse wildlife pond which school pupils can use as an educational facility;

* restoration of the Duthie fountain to full working order in its original setting;

* re-introduction of the lost Victorian promenade.

HLF's Parks For People fund awarded the project £71,500 for Stage 1 development last year – matched by £74,700 from the City Council – and agreed in principle to award full Lottery funding of £2.56million once a finalised programme has been approved. That sum will be matched with £2.67million from Aberdeen City Council.

The City Council appointed Edinburgh-based Scott Wilson Ltd as lead consultants to draw up the detailed designs for the Stage 2 submission, which will be passed to the Heritage Lottery fund in a few months' time for a decision on full funding before the end of the year.

The aim of the project is to revitalise the historic 44-acre park, encourage even more people to visit, and make it an attractive setting for new activities and events. The future care of the park will be detailed in a new 10-year management and maintenance plan.

The masterplan proposals for the Stage 2 application for Duthie Park involve the restoration of existing historical elements and the reinstatement of monuments and features which have been removed or altered from their original form.

One of the aims of the management plan is to reinstate this circular pond and the steps leading to it. The new pond will be situated in exactly the same spot as the original pond and therefore there is the potential for the new pond to impact upon any remnants of the original structure. In addition, there is the potential for pieces of the former stone staircase to survive.

Aberdeen City Council's lead curator [local history and archaeology] Judith Stones said: "This is a great opportunity for us to find out more about the pond structure and to ensure that reconstruction work is based on surviving evidence as much as possible, using modern archaeological techniques."

Laura Broughton, archaeological consultant for Scott Wilson Ltd said: "These archaeological works will allow us to reveal the original 1883 pond for the first time in 90 years. If substantial elements of the pond structure have not been too badly damaged by modern activity, the investigations will help to answer how and possibly why the circular pond was infilled. This work is part of a wider process of detailed historical research, the aim of which is to ensure that the new elements remain true to William McKelvie's original design.

Duthie Park is one of the most popular parks in Scotland, with over half a million visitors every year. It was bequeathed to the city by Miss Elizabeth Crombie Duthie in remembrance of her brother and uncle and was opened in 1883 by Princess Beatrice.

Its historical significance as one of the finest examples of a late Victorian public park has led to its inclusion in Historic Scotland's Inventory of Designed Landscapes and Gardens. The restoration and reconstruction of some of the lost features will be inspired by old written and photographic sources.

(GK)