Archaeology Notes

Event ID 681667

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/681667

NO10SE 5 1866 0154.

(NO 1866 0154) Hospital (NR) (Site of)

OS 6" map (1959)

The original foundation of Scotlandwell was the hospital of St Mary. It was in existence c.1214 but was granted to the Trinitarians in 1250-1. The family of Arnot occupied the priory in 1543 and ejected the community. It had become secularised by 1591-2 and it is mentioned as in the King's hands in 1606. The ruins of the building were in existence in Spottiswoode's time (d.1637) but have since disappeared.

D E Easson 1957; A H Millar 1895

There are no certain traces of the hospital but at the OS siting are the remains of a disused burial ground with the foundations of a building at its N end measuring about 20.0m E-W by 6.0m transversely. A plaque at the N end of the burial ground erroneously describes this as the site of a Culdee place of worship (see NO10SE 4).

Resurveyed at 1:2500.

Visited by OS (RD) 30 April 1972

An assessment was carried out (by Scottish Urban Archaeological Trust) in the field adjacent to the caravan site, and prior to development.

A small post-Reformation burial ground at the N of the field (not part of the development) probably overlies the site of the hospital and friary. The trenches were located as near to the burial ground as possible, to the S, W and E. Other than cultivation soil and possible drainage gullies, the only medieval features were concentrated to the SE of the burial ground. Here, a cobbled surface, possibly part of a courtyard, and a culvert, containing medieval pottery in the fills, may relate to either the hospital or friary.

Sponsor: Realm Construction.

R Coleman 1993.