Archaeology Notes

Event ID 710707

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/710707

NT07NE 1.00 08141 79097

(NT 0814 7910) Church on supposed site of Abercorn Monastery (NR)

OS 6" map (1922).

NT07NE 1.01 Centred NT 08147 79077 Burial-ground (including cross and hogback stone)

NT07NE 1.02 NT 08114 79046 Museum (including cross-shafts)

Location formerly entered as NT 0814 7911.

Trial work at this monastic site, the 'Aebbercurnig' of Bede, now a parish church and kirkyard, began in 1963, and was extended further by A C Thomas, for Edinburgh University Archaeology Dept. Six areas were opened, one within the kirkyard, revealing two phases of occupation.

The earlier corresponds to the Anglian monastery, established some time before 685, perhaps temporarily abandoned at that date following the Northumbrian defeat at Nechtansmere, but apparently re-occupied in time to produce the series of 8th century Anglian crosses now housed in the vestry.

The monastery consisted of a large roughly oval enclosure sited on a spur between the confluence of two streams. With difficulty, this vallum can still be traced. In the N part of the interior, N of the present church, the Romanesque nave of which may occupy the site of the Anglian chapel, cuttings have revealed traces of two small, apparently rectangular structures, possibly cells. One is constructed of thick, dry-stone walls, the other is defined by a long sleeper-beam trench, and perhaps median post-holes. Sherds of class E imported ware in primary contexts confirm the dating of this phase.

The later period of use, separated from the earlier by several feet of collapse and a laid pavement, yielded 13th century pottery, animal bones, slag and some minor artifacts. These may refer to no more than a former vicarage (existing here in 1274) or possibly a lodging for the bishop of Dunkeld in the previous century, when Abercorn was in that diocese.

Excavations were continued after 1965, and in 1967 Thomas states that what may be the N and (apsidal) E sides of a small wooden church and internally (less apse) of the order of 20' x 27' had been found, defined by sleeper-beam trenches - presumably those mentioned earlier. Three hog-backed stones are also in the vestry.

The present church dedicated to St Serf (H Scott 1915) dates from the later 11th century and has been much altered; originally it consisted of an aisleless nave and chancel.

J R Allen and J Anderson 1903; RCAHMS 1929, visited 1926; SDD List 1964; D M Wilson and D G Hurst 1965.

Abercorn Church is in normal use. There is no real evidence of the monastery but at NT 0814 7912, in the bottom of several excavation trenches, are the footings of stone walls. These may be the remains of the vicarage or lodging house referred to by Thomas. An unsurveyable ridge crosses the SE part of the present graveyard and may represent the vallum. The hog-backed stones and cross-slabs were not seen, the vestry being locked.

Visited by OS (JP), 27 March 1974.

Abercorn Parish Church: In origin a 12th century church of the standard two-cell type, but the only feature certainly of that date is the blocked S door squeezed in between later burial aisles. The church was reconstructed in 1579 and three appendages were added later to the S side for local families. The Philpstoun enclosure, dated 1727, and the Binns aisle of 1618 are built on to the nave. The Duddingston aisle of 1603 abuts the (former) chancel which was fitted out in 1708 as the Hopetoun Aisle; an annexe was built to the N at that time. In 1893, the church was restored; the old belfry was rebuilt and the W end Normanized; an aisle was added along the N side.

C McWilliam 1978.