Excavation

Date September 2007

Event ID 558742

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/558742

NS 4010 6321 During Scottish Archaeology Month in September 2007 and Renfrewshire Doors Open Day 2007,

excavations were carried out to the N of Kilbarchan West Parish Church. Map evidence and local knowledge suggested that a range of buildings, of unknown date, previously ran from the gable of the National Trust for Scotland’s, Weavers’ Cottage S down Church Street to the gates of the old parish church. These cottages were demolished in stages to make way for the new parish church, then the car park. The last cottage was demolished in the 1960s.

With excavations recently carried out at the Weavers Cottage, we felt that the time was right to investigate if any remains of the other cottages survived. In all, three trenches were opened along with two small test pits. Trench one revealed the robbed out foundation cut for the S wall, along with a late concrete ‘patio’ abutting the foundation cut and a probable base for stone slabs. Trench 2 was placed against the upstanding gable, close to the fireplace. This revealed the base of the fireplace and hearth along with in situ stone slab and tiles along the gable wall. The hearth consisted of fire bricks. Trench 3 was placed to investigate possible internal rooms to the E of the structure. The trench revealed about 0.5m of topsoil sitting on top of concrete flagstones, which made up a path around the cottage shortly before it was demolished.

The two trial trenches were placed along the eastern boundary wall of the churchyard and weavers’ cottage to trace the width of the concrete patio. This stretched at least 3m and requires further investigation.

Archive to be deposited with RCAHMS. Reports to be deposited with WoSAS SMR and RCAHMS.

Funder: Renfrewshire Local History Forum: Archaeology Section (RLHF:AS).