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Excavation

Date 18 May 1992 - 12 June 1992

Event ID 1000757

Category Recording

Type Excavation

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1000757

The 1992 programme of fieldwork was intended to extend the area already revealed in 1991, by removing approximately half of the remaining mound which covered elements of the SE corner of the claustral range. The work took place over fifteen days in May and June, with a small team and four days' use of a JCB.

The results of the excavation ultimately appeared to reflect five periods of activity: Period 1: Colonisation and primary layout c1150-c1320. Period 2: Rebuilding and conversion c1320-c1450. Period 3: Subdivision of main rooms - conversion of drains to sewers c1450-c1520. Period 4: Conversion and blocking off doorways c1520-c1605. Period 5; Abandonment, demolition and robbing, creation of garden and early archaeological excavation c1605-1912.

Period 1: The earliest feature revealed, reflected site preparation and parts of the 12th century layout - essentially wall footings and drainage features. Part of a wide stone platform or raft was found near the robbed E wall of the refectory. It comprised well-laid irregular whin-slabs (F.132 and F.142) with at least three simple drainage channels (F.143, F.144 and F.146) all running southwards, beyond the main S facade of the Period 2 structures.

A short section of wall was found (F.115) beneath Period 2 wall F.002 re-used as footings for the latter and which respected the lowest floor within Chamber 4. It is however uncertain whether this and walls F.050 and F.024 from 1991, which represent a completely separate layout, destroyed in the 1290s or whether they reflect an abandoned earlier incomplete plan, wholly obscured by 14th century work.

One side of a vertically sided trench (F.100) was found 5m S of Period 2 wall F.080, aligned E/W, and which was abandoned and back-filled during Period 2. Although, at this stage its function is not certain, the primary fill of this trench did contain water-laid clays, implying that it was a drainage ditch, arguably used during the colonisation and early building phase of the abbey.

Period 2: This represents the bulk of 'monastic' activity within the SE corner of claustral ranges- the Warming Room, the Novices Day Room and the Reredo rter, all, for present, seen as part of the 14th century rebuilding of programme characterised particularly by the Chapter House. As built during Period 2, all three rooms were interconnected, but with only the warming room directly accessible from the cloister. All the main walls betrayed similar structural characteristcs - essentially, crude masonry banded with very sandy mortar. The inside faces of the walls were however heavily plastered, which in turn was probably painted. Externally, the walls featured a moulded scarcement but was relatively undistinguished in comparison with the high quality moulding noted on interior stonework - vaulting, door jambs, etc. This in turn may reflect separate quarry sources - fine grained softer stone alongside coarser types. However, preliminary survey work suggests that both stone types were available locally as coastal outcrops.

Period 3: This period is characterised by the general raising of levels inside and out chamber 4, apparently in order to a) bring the Period 2 floor level up to that of the cloister and Chapter House and b) to extend and convert the open drain (F.103) to a covered channel receiving outflow from two new garderobes (F.089 and F.090). This process coupled with the subdivision within the warming room and the partial blocking of the archway in the Reredorter, suggests more individual, cell-like occupation at ground level, with guest or possibly abbatical accomodation above.

Period 4: This saw the final occupation of the site towards the end of the 16th century and is reflected by a) the final raising of the floor within chamber 4; b) the final blocking of the archway into the Reredorter, and c) alteration to the S window. By this time, access between Chamber 4 and Chambers 1 and 2 was no longer direct but via the passage (Chamber 3) which may may imply further separation of usage, perhaps storage as opposed to residential use during the 16th century.

Period 5: The site was ultimately comprehensively robbed of building stone - probably in a steady sequence from W to E culminating in the construction of the first manse c1743. The gradual improvements to the manse and its grounds reached a peak towards the end of the 19th century when the stables and garden were laid out. At this time, Chamber 4 at least, was buried and landscaped to form a simple terrace on one side of the stable yard. The stables were part of a range of buildings around a cobbled courtyard, the S and E limits of which may well derive from monastic terracing and may even reflect Period 3 and 4 abbey buildings.

G Ewart 1992

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